TWO GAMES, two points. Anything less than three on Easter Monday and Hartlepool United will face three final games of the season under intense pressure.

A 1-1 draw at Morecambe last weekend was yesterday followed by the same against Carlisle.

Newport’s win over Yeovil means Pools are only a point in front of the Exiles, and still a point behind Cheltenham, who drew at Crawley.

Neither Yeovil or Crawley are out of the picture just yet and they should be in Pools’ sights.

But Pools’ trip to Whaddon Road on April 29 is taking on immense proportions.

For 45 minutes yesterday, Pools were desperately poor. Did the players actually realise the precarious nature of their situation?

Spirit and fight were factors sadly lacking as Carlisle led by a single goal, and were content with it.

But Pools did improve in the second period, getting a goal from nothing by Rhys Oates to level.

In the end, they rather hung on as some frantic defending inside their own six-yard area somehow kept the visitors at bay.

“It was two points dropped last week, today against a team in the play-offs to get out of the division it was a point earned,’’ reflected Jones, who alluded to problems in the Carlisle camp with manager Keith Curle.

“It was difficult, rumours flying around the place all day. We were edgy, nervous and free-kicks we practiced all week, two players remember it one doesn’t and it frustrated you.

“You couldn’t fault them for their effort and driving forward and that’s all they ask for. They showed determination.

“Rhys chased down the ball well for the goal, it was often that final ball, a final pass which let us down. Things will get better and we are learning our trade the hard way, playing youngsters learning their trade. Everyone can do better, but it’s a hard-earned point.’’

Morecambe went into last week’s game with seven successive defeats and drew with Pools.

Carlisle came into this one after taking only three points from a possible 27, a run including seven successive defeats without scoring.

Next up is Orient, who yesterday took their fourth point from 33 on offer.

The Cumbrians, who included former Pools’ midfielder and January transfer target Gary Liddle at right-back, went ahead on seven minutes.

After catching Pool out with a quick throw in, Jabo Ibehre took control, cut inside Scottt Harrison too easily and put his finish through the legs of keeper Joe Fryer.

Pools were asleep and could have been two down as Jamie Proctor was unmarked in the area to head wide.

Dave Jones’ side were flat and never got going, the game, much like their season, was passing them by without any incident.

Their efforts came from a Lewis Alessandra effort which hit the roof of the stand, before the same player then fired low into the advertising hoardings.

At the other end, Brad Walker hacked the ball away after Proctor turned a shot goalbound.

The Cumbrians were willing and able to kill the game, wasting time at every opportunity.

At one time it seemed as if the accident and emergency ward at Hartlepool Hospital would have to be reopened such was the amount of times visiting players needed treatment.

Jones said: “It’s game-management, it stopped our flow at certain times. We are attacking, a four v three and the referee brings it back for someone who isn’t out cold in the box – moving, kneeling, claiming it’s a head injury but I didn’t see one.

“We are still smarting from the incident the other day when they are wrestling with a forearm smash.

“They (officials) see a different games to us at times and you try to help them.

“As I said to the referee coming off he could have dealt with certain situations better. We ended up with seven minutes added on.

“Sometimes you feel it always goes against you, but I cringed at times both ways.’’

Half-time and Pools were booed off, frustration to the fore.

They did, however, levelled from nowhere on 64 minutes.

Danny Grainger had just been mouthing off to supporters on the Mill House terrace. He wasn’t being so clever when his clearance was charged down by Rhys Oates, and he raced away into the area and curled the ball around keeper Mark Gillespie.

Pools were instantly lifted and found an extra gear to their game. The crowd responded positively.

But they needed keeper Fryer to make a stunning close-range save from a Michael Raynes header.

At the other end, Nathan Thomas whistled an angled shot wide from 20 yards.

For all their improvement, however, Pool were lucky to hang on at the end.

Raynes headed into Fryer and then, from a frantic scramble, Ibehre poked the ball against the post and, as Raynes shaped up his position and unleashed a six-yard shot, Liam Donnelly flung himself into the path of the shot and somehow cleared.