HARTLEPOOL UNITED v York City. It was a game that not long ago was going to be of some importance.

Pools were dwelling around the relegation zone, York long in it.

As the teams meet at Victoria Park this afternoon, Pools are safe from the drop, the Minstermen almost doomed.

A fine run of form of late has put 18 points between the teams and, if Pools win today and Stevenage beat Newport, then the Minstermen would have to win their last four games, hope either Stevenage or Newport don’t pick up another point and turn around a goal difference of about a dozen, to avoid the drop.

They’ve won only six all season and their last was on February 16 – 11 games ago.

It’s a tall order for them to stay up and Hignett said: "The run we've had over my first six weeks or so has taken us right out of it.

"We're in a different place to where York are thankfully. They need to win games - they have needed to win games for the last ten, 11 matches.

"There is a gap there and it will be tough ask for York.

"York are a local club and I'd love to see them stay in the league but there will be no favours.

"The nature of their situation won't affect how we approach the match.

"We'll approach it in the same way as we do every game and there'll be no end-of-season feel about us.

"The only thing I might do is look at a couple of players, we had a couple of tired legs on Tuesday night but that's something for me to decide after I've seen the lads train.’’

York boss Jackie McNamara insisted his side isn’t down yet and claimed: "In the last couple of games, we have looked like we're going to give somebody a hiding soon and, hopefully, that will be Hartlepool. I feel we've got three or four goals in us over 90 minutes and we just need to put that second one in to settle us down, then go on and get a third or fourth."

York are 1/500 to go down with the bookies.

He added: "I think the odds are excessive, but it tells you how difficult it is, because it's not in our hands and we have to do something we've not done all season, as we've only managed back-to-back wins once. The ability is there to do it though.

"We've just got to be clinical and, then, you're relying on other results. The players have got to believe they can do their own jobs and not focus on anybody else.’’

Pools lost at Notts County on Tuesday evening 1-0 and the Pools boss won’t allow his players to ease up in the coming weeks.

Their remaining four games are all against promotion or play-off challengers and the Pools boss added: "York have to win the game but all games in this league are hard if you are not on it.

"After Tuesday night, I want to win, to finish the season well.

"We have games against teams going for promotion, we'll have a say in who goes up or gets i the play-offs.

"We won't be doing any favours, but I'll try things so my mind is 100 per cent sure about what I do in the summer.’’

The Minstermen include Scott Flinders in goal. He spent six seasons at Pools and made 276 appearances, scoring once, before leaving last summer when his contract at Victoria Park expired.

Hignett said: “Scott coming back and he was great for us, a good servant for the club and he has moved on and his loyalties lie there now – he owes us no favours and any player going back to a former club wants to do well.

“He will be no different and hopefully we will work him.’’

Pools are today seeking a fourth successive home win, something not achieved since Danny Wilson led them to promotion in 2006/7.

After three successive away games, Hignett said: “It would be nice to be at home again, it’ been a while and when you re on the road all the time it’s groundhog day. The travelling does take its toll – but the ones we have had of late have been relatively close for us, only two and a half hours.

“It’s not bad for us! But it’s still about the travelling and spending the day out. Hopefully we can give the fans something to cheer about and we want to send them home happy, entertain and win the game.’’