HAPPY Easter? It couldn't have been more joyous for Hartlepool United. Yesterday's win at Wrexham keeps Pool sixth in the table, but, with other results going their way, they are in a prime postion as a clutch of teams chase the final play-off berth.

Wins over Luton and Bournemouth in the last week have shunted Neale Cooper's side into the places that matter.

This result, courtesy of goals from Darrell Clarke and Neil Danns, was Pool's ninth win on the road this season, 28 points away from home is a tally to be proud of.

And a fourth play-off campaign in the last five seasons is within touching distance.

Cooper said: "All along all we have said is that we can keep winning our games and see what happens.

"We are in a very strong position now and, with other results going our way, we have had a very good week.

"I thought the game started quietly, but when we matched them man for man we were on top. We've had three hard games in a week and I can see that in the dressing room - some of the boys are tired but that is never something we mention before the game."

Only 70 seconds had elapsed when Wrexham went desperately close to scoring. Former Spurs frontman Chris Armstrong flung himself to meet a Carlos Edwards cross and his diving header thumped off the post.

It was a subdued start from the visitors as they struggled to find any rhythm.

Strikers Adam Boyd and Eifion Williams weren't linking and Pool found it hard to get the ball under control on a zippy surface.

Armstrong met another cross from the right and this time, after leaping up above Chris Westwood, Jim Provett saved.

Pool created a couple of good chances on the half-hour mark.

Williams looked set to score but the ball wouldn't roll in his favour across the six yard box.

Then Danns tried a looping header from the edge of the area that looked destined for the net before on-loan Sunderland keeper Michael Ingham went full-stretch to keep it out.

Ritchie Humphreys won a free-kick in prime shooting territory for Hugh Robertson and his left-footed curling shot was clawed out low at his near post by Ingham.

Robertson's corner found it's way to Clarke at the far post and his volley flashed under Ingham and bounced high into the net.

Clarke's liking for playing against Wrexham shouldn't be understated - he scored twice to win the game for Pool last September.

That win lifted Pool up to fifth in the table, this goal put them a point off the same position, with only four games to go.

Pool switched to three central defenders to match Wrexham's set-up. Darren Craddock and Chris Westwood picked up the strikers, Mark Tinkler became the spare man.

Tinkler firmly headed away a cross and Craddock thumped away the loose ball as Wrexham looked for a quick response and deep into injury time Tinkler chased Armstrong fully 40 yards and put his foot in to concede a corner.

The midfielder-turned-defender then headed the dead ball away; it's quite a lark this defensive job for Tinkler.

It was party time for Pool on 63 minutes. Robertson's curling set-piece was nodded to the edge of the area and from 20 yards out, Danns rolled the ball past Ingham and into the corner of the net.

Pool were in command against an out of form side, who have slipped right out of the play-off picture on the back of just two wins in 11 games.

But they let the home side back into the game on 71 minutes.

Chris Llewellyn turned Humphreys and Robertson out wide and his cross eventually found it's way to Paul Barrett who curled the ball around Provett into the net.

But one scare aside in the closing stages, the lead was never in question.

Four games to go, there's a bigger question to come - play-offs anybody?

Result: Wrexham 1 Hartlepool United 2.

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