MATTY Robson accepts it won't be easy - but he is vowing to do all he can to help get Hartlepool United out of the messy situation they find themselves in.

Easter Monday's late defeat at Milton Keynes put Pool four points from safety with just nine to play for.

Tomorrow's visit of in-form Nottingham Forest is followed by a trip to Brentford and the season ends with a home game with Port Vale on Saturday, May 6.

The odds are stacked against Pool, but Robson insisted: "We are not going to give up now.

"If we were to do that there would be no point of being a professional footballer.

"We will all stick together and fight for every minute of these last three games.

"We are in a deep hole we have got ourselves in but we have to keep believing we can get out of it.''

Pool's first half performance wasn't up to scratch on Monday, but the dominated the second half before conceding the late goal.

"The lads showed great determination in the second half and I thought we fought for every last dime, but the first half has cost us,'' he said.

"We had our chances in the second half but the luck wasn't on our side again.

"Right the way through this season things have gone against us and teams have beaten us with late goals, but we can't keep on saying that.

"We have to take more of the chances that come our way and show the kind of fight that we showed in the second half.

"We need other teams to lose but we have to keep hoping that something will go for us.''

He added: "There is a lot of spirit at Hartlepool United and we will need that because we have another big game against Nottingham Forest.

"It is going to be hard but we have got to try and pick ourselves up.

"There was a lot of dejected lads after the game and there was a lot of emotions coming out a the end.''

l Pool's trip to Brentford on Saturday, April 29 is all-ticket. Tickets are on sale to season ticket holders until tomorrow, 5.15pm, with 619 made available at £17 and £12. They will go on general sale on Monday, April 24 until noon on Friday, April 28.

Read more about Hartlepool here.