LAST week, Scott Flinders laid it on the line. Six points from six for Hartlepool United in their next two games is all that matters said the captain and goalkeeper after defeat at Bury.

Starting today at home to Wimbledon, boss Ronnie Moore looked at the week ahead – Dagenham away on Tuesday followed by Burton at Victoria Park in seven days’ time – and set another target.

Pools are running out of time, games and opportunities to give themselves even a sniff of staying in the Football League.

“The next three games are massive – two at home, one away - and we are looking at seven points,’’ declared Moore.

“Wimbledon will be tough, but this is a chance to get some momentum. Dagenham were struggling at one stage, but have strung some good results together to give them some breathing space.’’

After losing at Bury last week, the chance of a return thrown away in the second half, Pools were deflated.

Moore will have his players lifted again for this one, and will give a debut up front to striker Ryan Bird, signed this week from Cambridge on loan.

He said: “Last week was tight, away from home against a decent team, you have to take the chances when they come and we had the best chance of the game early on, which would have changed it all.

“Defensively we have been good, we have done alright. Watch the game back and there’s nothing between the sides, but they are a million points ahead of us.

“I can’t wait to come off and say how crap we were after winning 1-0 – I’m fed up of coming off after playing well and not winning. We are due to come off playing badly and winning.’’

Pools won at Wimbledon early in the season, one of only two victories on the road they’ve recorded. Marlon Harewood scored that afternoon, but he’s likely to be on the bench this afternoon after an unflattering performance last time out at home.

Moore scouted the Dons at Cambridge in midweek and was impressed.

“I went to Cambridge to watch Wimbledon the other night and it was as good a game as I’ve seen for a 0-0,’’ he reflected. “It surprised me, I felt Wimbledon would boss teams because they have Akinfenwe up there, instead they play some right football.

“Potter out wide is as good a footballer I have seen at this level for a while, putting some quality balls in the box.

“They have changed their side and it must be nice to be able to do that – four changes from the side the week before, another four the week before. It will be a competitive game against a good side and we have to be at our best.’’

Pools’ home form has improved of late and, while they lost their last Victoria Park outing to Stevenage it was when they were seeking an unprecedented fourth home win in a row.

They beat in-form Northampton days earlier and Moore added: "They know how big each game is for us and we aren't good enough to just think we can turn up and win a game.

"It is hard enough trying to win, we have to make sure that we start at one hundred miles an hour and put teams on the back foot and are in people's faces.

"Some of the teams, the better ones at this level, have better players than we have but it doesn't mean they are a better team.

"Some of the performances away from home have been brilliant and the same at home, you look at Northampton.

"We played well in the game and then hung in there.

"It is all about the tempo, if we can lift the tempo for this game it will go a long way to winning it. There will be nothing in it.’’