PROMOTION secured and a title race over and lost, but the work has only just begun for Hartlepool United boss Mike Newell.

Newell has yet to have a pre-season at the club - he took over in November - and his first summer in management is going to be a busy one.

Just moments after Pool had failed to find the necessary three points that would have overthrown new champions Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday, Newell had turned his attentions to his next task - building a squad capable of surviving in the Second Division. Hartlepool tied 1 - 1.

First the Pool boss plans to talk to his out-of-contract players and let them know who will be staying and who will be going. Striker Gordon Watson is on his way and reserve team defenders James Sharp and Gordon Simms are already looking for new clubs.

But Graeme Lee, Mark Robinson, Tommy Widdrington, Paul Smith, Paul Arnison, Jon Bass and Jermaine Easter are all coming to the end of their current deals as well.

Only Newell knows who he plans to keep and he admits he already has his sights on new men to give his newly-promoted side a fresh look.

"The job starts now," said Newell, who was linked with a move for Sheffield United striker Wayne Allison yesterday.

"We have to add to our squad it's as simple as that because we are going up a division.

"In the Second Division you need to add quality and you need to add strength and legs, so we'll be looking at bringing players in. We have got players earmarked, but getting them in is another matter. You have to see what's available and what your limits are."

On the basis of Pool's second-half display at Nene Park not much needs to be done to improve the squad - perhaps just the need to find the killer touch in front of goal. Conversely, though, the visitors' first-half performance was nowhere near the standards the players have set themselves over the past nine months.

Rushden, two points clear at the top before the match, took control and giant striker Onandi Lowe, impressive midfielder Andy Burgess and lively full-back Marcus Bignot all went close, but failed to beat keeper Anthony Williams.

But on 29 minutes Paul Hall, who was named in the PFA Third Division Team of the Year eight days ago, gave the home side the lead they deserved. The former Coventry man popped up in the box to turn Bignot's cross beyond Williams. Suddenly the promotion party in the away end was silenced briefly.

Shortly after it could have been two when midfielder Stuart Gray was faced with just the keeper to beat, however, skipper Michael Barron somehow got back to put in a crucial block to deny Diamonds a second. Watson, who had struggled to have an impact in the final third, then hobbled off with hamstring trouble and Kevin Henderson replaced him just before half-time.

Pool, a goal down, knew they would have to record their first victory on their travels since January 21 and in doing so bring to an end Rushden's ten-match unbeaten run.

And after the restart, whatever Newell said in the dressing room had the desired effect.

But Rushden keeper Billy Turley was in fine form and he denied efforts from Eifion Williams and Ritchie Humphreys before tipping over a superb long-range effort from Lee.

Lee had earlier had the ball in the net when he rose with Henderson ahead of Turley to meet Humphreys' long throw, but the referee ruled there had been a foul on the keeper.

There were penalty appeals turned down at either end as the title decider lived up to its hype.

And in the last minute Chris Westwood ensured Pool's third promotion in the club's history did not end on a negative note - they would have slipped to third as Wrexham beat Bury - when he rose in the box to head in Paul Smith's corner.

Turley made a stoppage time save when Mark Tinkler headed goalwards and had the game gone on five minutes more a determined and battling Pool could have sneaked the win they craved. And Newell was convinced there should have been more injury time than the three minutes played.

The dejected Pool chief, whose side were 14 points clear not so long ago, revealed second place was no reason to celebrate. He said: "I'm absolutely gutted.

"I can't believe there was only three minutes of injury time. Every week we get three or four minutes added on at half-time for nothing.

"Rushden have had two or three players lying down for well over three minutes, the substitutions are supposed to get time added on for it. I just can't understand it."

He added: "The lads have given it everything, but on the day we just lacked that bit of quality in the final ball.

"We always knew it would go to the death and you have to say congratulations to Brian Talbot and his team.

"If you don't win it's small consolation that we finished second. It's nothing really.

"But the lads realise they have still won promotion without the play-offs and with three games to go, that's a great achievement. I wanted to win the championship, so it will take a while for us to realise we are in the Second Division.

"We have achieved promotion, but it's just so hard to know that we have not won it."

Newell came under criticism from sections of the Pool crowd after the 4-0 defeat at Scunthorpe a fortnight earlier - when promotion was achieved and celebrations were muted.

But on Saturday the 1,675 travelling fans that made the trip to Northamptonshire ensured the season closed with a bang, despite seeing the championship slip from their grasp.

And Newell praised the backing his players received, he said: "They were absolutely fantastic. That was proper support. They've outsung Rushden's crowd and supported us right to the final whistle and beyond.