IT might be at the opposite end of the table, but Micky Barron believes his Hartlepool United teammates can utilise their experience of fighting it out for promotion to win their relegation fight.

Pool are three points from possible safety with six to play for and go to Brentford on Saturday knowing defeat could consign them to relegation.

A draw or win would mean everything rides on their last game of the season, at home to Port Vale on May 6.

But, with Brentford chasing an automatic promotion spot, Barron can understand the pressure Martin Allen' side will be facing.

"We know the sort of situation Forest were in on Saturday and Brentford will be facing - we have been at the top end of the table and expected to beat teams at the bottom,'' said the Pool skipper.

"But we know from experience and we proved on Saturday that it isn't always like that.

"We will call on that experience and hopefully it will be to our advantage at Brentford.''

Pool beat play-off hopefuls Nottingham Forest on Saturday - their previous win came over promotion chasers Huddersfield - and Barron added: "It was a bit nerve-racking towards the end, but we got the result we desperately needed.

"Yes, we had to dig in and when we had the ball we kept it well. It was a long last five minutes - the crowd had been whistling for ages, but the referee said the added time was because we were time wasting.

"Forest spent a lot of money on Nathan Tyson. Thankfully he missed the good chance late on - hopefully that's a sign that our luck is changing.

"We need it to happen in the remaining games. We have to keep our chances alive for the last game of the season at home to Port Vale.

"We don't want to come back home and play a game with nothing riding on it. We need to go to Brentford attack-minded like we did on Saturday.''

* Rumours abounded yesterday that an announcement about a new manager was imminent. However, no decision will be made until the close season.

Chris Turner, the club's director of sport, said last week in his only interview - with the club website - that he will remain in his current role next season.

He has been alongside Paul Stephenson in the dug-out of late, but said: "I am there to help Paul. I have been in the game 30 years and been a manager here, so I can help him.

"He makes all the decisions and coaches the team, but he can bounce ideas off me.

"I'm on the sidelines with him now, but I don't see myself there next season.''

l Walsall have sacked manager Kevan Broadhurst following the club's relegation to League Two after Saturday's home defeat against Huddersfield.

Read more about Hartlepool here.