INFLUENTIAL centre-half David Mirfin will be given every chance to make Hartlepool United’s most important game of the season tomorrow.

Pools take on Exeter at Victoria Park, when victory could secure their Football League future. Anything less and it means they go to Carlisle on the final day with their status in the balance.

They badly missed Mirfin last weekend, as they rolled over to a 3-0 defeat. The Scunthorpe United loanee suffered a badly bruised toe in the previous game and is a major doubt tomorrow.

Pools trained at Victoria Park yesterday, with Mirfin expected to test his fitness.

Moore said: “We have worked on the back four, we have missed Mirf and the young lads missed him and we’ve worked on the back four the majority of this week incase he’s not fit.

“There’s no fracture, no ligament tear it’s just very sore and we wait and see. At this present time I think there’s every chance he will be missing.

"I will wait until the last minute for Mirf because his experience has been invaluable.’’

Scott Harrison and Dan Jones struggled against Luton’s vibrant front two last weekend and Moore admitted: "The two younger ones definitely missed him against Luton, I think they thought he was going to be behind him mopping up.

"But I had to tell them at half-time he is at Scunny, not here.

"Be aware that you two are the last line of defence for us!

"It is hard to play the back two after playing back three for a while, the positional sense of where you are is different.

"We have worked all week on the back four.

"Depending on Mirf, it opens the door to 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3. He gives us another option.’’

Pools will again train on home turf today rather than their usual Maiden Castle base.

Moore said: "We just thought it is the last home game, let’s get a feel for it.

"We had half hour 11 v 11 so I can have a look at a few players.

"I have an idea what the side will be and I want to have a look at them.

"It is difficult to pick a team after such a bad performance, it steers you down different avenues.

"I am going to go through one or two different things and that is the idea behind training at the Vic Thursday and Friday."

Pools had Matthew Bates back on the bench yesterday, and the former Middlesbrough skipper could slot into Mifin’s role in a back three, but Moore seems set to play with a flat back four if Mirfin is out.

Since winning four from four to move out of the bottom two – and then after leading 2-0 at Newport only to draw 2-2 – Pools have only taken two points from a possible 15.

Moore had admitted his players have felt some pressure in recent weeks, with the dressing room quiet before the games.

And the experienced boss said: “We have to get rid of the nerves we showed last week, it doesn’t matter who we play, Exeter or Tranmere or whoever, it’s a tough game in this league.

“We have to get out of it, win a game which is going to be tough as Exeter are probably the best footballing side in League Two, they have ability and we have to make sure we do our part.

“We can’t have eight players playing, we need all 11 and do that and we have a chance of winning.

“We beat them down there before I came here, but it’s all about this one. I just want us to come out and give a proper Ronnie Moore-type team performance. Since we came out the bottom two we haven’t produced with 100 per cent commitment and ability.

“Let’s get back to that and what got us out of it and not put ourselves back in it – the last thing we want is Carlisle on the last day and we are going there in the bottom two. Too much pressure. It’s hard enough now for them, but go out and enjoy it, don’t show nerves.’’

Pools have sold out of their 1900 allocation of seats for the season's final game at Carlisle - but an extra 500 terrace tickets will go on sale from Victoria Park at 10am on Monday.