HARTLEPOOL United supporters are in for a play-off fight to the death according to boss Neale Cooper.

Pool hold the upper hand in the chase for a berth in the top six after Monday's 2-1 win at Wrexham, their third triumph in a row.

The nine-point haul has put Cooper's team in sixth spot, with a three-point gap over seventh-placed Port Vale, five ahead of Bournemouth and seven in front of Luton, who sit in ninth.

Both The Cherries and Mike Newell's side, who have gone six games without a win, have a game in hand on Pool -when they meet at Kenilworth Road next Tuesday.

Relegation-threatened Notts County visit Victoria Park on Saturday and Cooper, with only four games to go this season, is expecting nothing to be decided until Saturday, May 8 - the final day of the Nationwide League season.

Pool go to play-off rivals Swindon on the last day and the teams could easily meet in the end of season shake-up to determine who goes up to Division One.

Cooper said: "We are in a good position right now, but we won't be thinking the job is done.

"There are still plenty of games to go and points to play for. I think the race will go down to the wire - there's a few good teams up there.

"Bournemouth are a good side and shouldn't be discounted at all. It was important to beat them and then go to Wrexham and win there as well."

Cooper is hoping to keep Neil Danns at Victoria Park. His month-long loan spell came to an end on Monday and, after scoring his first goal for Pool in the Racecourse Ground win, Cooper said: "I want to keep him here. Gavin Strachan is injured and we want him to stay."