HARTLEPOOL UNITED live to fight another day – and their Football League future will go to the wire.

Defeat at Cheltenham by a single goal could have relegated Pools, but Newport’s defeat at Carlisle means their status will be decided next Saturday.

They have to beat Doncaster at home, while relying on Notts County to avoid defeat Newport at Rodney Parade.

Pools, backed by 704 fans – the majority dressed as French mime artists in keeping with the club’s time-honoured tradition at their last away game of the season – gave their all.

If they had played with this spirit and effort in recent weeks they would have long been out of the relegation positions.

The only goal came on 17 minutes when a high ball into the area found striker Danny Wright and he was free to plant a header in from close range.

Pools responded with a header from Lewis Hawkins which was tipped over.

Padraig Amond intercepted a back pass and his angled finish was kept out by the legs of keeper Scott Brown.

In the second-half, it was all Pools.

They had a firm penalty shout for handball denied, A deep cross was cleared off the line by defender Emmanual Onariase, debutant substitute Connor Simpson almost scored with his first touch, his close range effort pushed out by Brown.

In injury time, Nicky Featherstone’s dipping volley was kept out Brown.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Brown; Winchester (Cranston 46), Boyle, Onaraise, Davis; Pell, Rowe, Storer, Waters; Holman, Wright (Wootton 77). Subs: Downes, Munns, Kitscha (gk), Wootton, Dayton, O’Shaughnessy.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3): Carson; Magnay, Walker, Harrison, Richards; Hawkins (Simpson 77), Featherstone, Woods; Thomas, Amond, Alessandra. Subs: Bates, Oates, Deverdics, Rooney, Rodney, Fryer (gk).

 

Boss Matthew Bates said: “Everything we asked them they gave and they didn’t let anyone down. We come back on another fay with a point at least.

“We move on to next week. I’m more confident now we can get a result against Doncaster than I was before.

“We were punished for one lapse in concentration and Trevor (Carson) hasn’t had a save to make. It happens in football. I was happy with the response at going down, we could have folded under pressure but it didn’t happen.''

He added: 

“The fans were superb again, they showed what they thought. They came in numbers, second half they were brilliant. They are disappointed in the way they season had gone, so for them to stay and come like they did shows their class.

“I’ve enjoyed it, not a great result, but my overriding emotion is pride. I’m confident we can beat Doncaster, and we need Notts County to do us a favour but we will work all week for Doncaster.''