VICTORY for Hartlepool United will relegate Leyton Orient from the Football League. Of more concern to Pools is keeping their own status intact.

With four games remaining, Pools are a mere point in front of the drop zone, ahead of Newport who go to Plymouth today after winning their last three games. The Pilgrims will be promoted today with a point.

Pools have three games remaining after today, with a home game with Barnet, who parted company with boss Kevin Nugent over the weekend, a trip to Cheltenham and a final day encounter with champions-elect Doncaster to come.

Boss Dave Jones said: “Friday was a point gained, but we looked edgy and nervous at times.

“This situation is new to me and my coaches, but some players have that experience of being in this situation and we have to pool it all together.

“We are dealing with players, as I’ve said before, players who are learning their trade and learning the hard way. They are doing OK. Could they do better, of course, but we are getting there.

“Once they cross that white line they have to put into practice what they have learned on the training ground. Rest is important over the weekend, recovery drinks and do what we are telling them.

“We go to Orient, who play decent football.’’

He added: “The lads are hanging in there which is the most important thing. They did well and things will start to go for us, but you have to earn it.

“It was important physiologically to get a point and stay out of the bottom two.

“We would have dropped in without it. Newport are on a roll – can they keep it going. They aren’t in a position because they’ve been fantastic all season. We are up and down, up and down all the time.

”We need to level out and we’ve picked up two, what could be vital points. I’m still seething from not winning at Morecambe and we could have had two extra – on Friday we could have come away with nothing.

“That’s how tight it was, it’s a sort of derby game and I could have done without it being a derby game. They will be fired up for it with big support behind them.

“No-one wants to let anyone down and it was very important not to lose on Friday.’’

Orient’s plight has been a dramatic one, with absent owner Francesco Becchetti taking the club to the brink, with wages not being paid and going through an unprecedented 11 managers in three years.

Despite their problems this season, they still won at Pools earlier in the campaign.

Jones said: "It's quite sad really, they are a good club. They are steeped in history and no-one wants to see this sort of thing happen.

"But that's as far as your thoughts can go, because you have your own club to look after.

"I've gone back to clubs I've been at or associated with who are having a bad time, but you have to go and get the points.

"You can't think of anything else, you have to make sure you are right and you can't worry about them."

Kenton Richardson went off on Friday with an ankle injury which is likely to keep him out today. That could mean another game for Carl Magnay at right-back after his return to the side on Friday following a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Jones will weigh up today if Magnay is ready for a return.

He said: “Magnay played OK, it was a good game to come into, he’s not up against an out and out winger as such.

“They bombarded our box when they could, let’s see how he is for Orient. His enthusiasm and adrenaline will get him through the next couple of games, it’s after that when you get caught up.

“He’s been out a long time, and it’s not just the injury but with other parts of your body you need to think about.

“You can play ten reserve-team games, but they don’t replicate first-team matches. It’s just really you can’t create match situations – it’s like practising a penalty shoot-out and you can’t replicate the pressure and the crowds in training.

“It’s like playing golf, you go to the driving range and hit the ball brilliantly – go on the course and there’s bunkers, trees, and they all come into play, not just the stick marking out 150 yards.’’

Pools’ goal on Friday came through Rhys Oates, as the attacker charged down a clearance and finished confidently.

Oates said: “It’s a massive game at Orient - I think we need to take three points.

“It’s still in our hands – we are not in the bottom two.”

"We're still confident, we still feel we can get safe, we're not trying to look at the other results.

"We are focusing on our results and if we can win our games then we'll be safe.

"Monday is definitely a not lose game - every game from now, not just Monday, are all massive games, must-win."