YORK City centre-back Keith Lowe is confident his team’s supporters will win their off-pitch battle against their Hartlepool United counterparts this afternoon.

Pools will take 2,000 supporters for the crunch clash between the relegation rivals, and Lowe is relishing the occasion.

He said: “I’m hearing there will be a big crowd so I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t think there will be a problem with our fans drowning out the noise from their supporters.

“They have been great all season for us and we probably won’t know the Hartlepool fans are there.”

The sixth-bottom Minstermen are six points clear of the Football League trapdoor with a vastly superior goal difference to all of the clubs below them in the standings.

But Lowe does not feel such a cushion merits the generous price offered by some betting companies with five fixtures left to play.

York are rated at 66-1 outsiders for relegation, but Lowe: “I’m not taking any notice of what the bookmakers’ prices are.

“We’re just knuckling down and taking things one game at a time. That might be an old cliché, but it’s true.

“The job is far from being completed. Football can change just like that and we’re not counting our chickens yet.

“We want to be safe as soon as possible and then look at how many points we can finish on. There’s a lot of confidence running through the group and we are picking up points at the moment.

“At this stage, every point matters and tomorrow is another big game when we will be looking for another three.”

Lowe also a double incentive to defeat Hartlepool, as he looks to help his old team Cheltenham to beat the drop too.

The bottom-of-the-table Robins currently lie three points from safety.

And, having made 133 appearances for the Gloucestershire club - more than he has for any other team - Lowe is keen to help their survival bid in any way possible.

“That’s definitely an added incentive for me,” the 29-year-old defender admitted.

“I’ve got a lot of good friends still at Cheltenham and some are on the coaching side of things now so, if we can help them out in anyway, that would be great.”