WITH three successive away games to come, Hartlepool United still have some way to go before they can consider themselves safe from the threat of relegation.

But, after back to back home wins, at least they have a six-point advantage over the bottom four.

It’s a long time since Pools last took anything home from an away game, a 3-3 draw at Brighton in October is the last time they avoided defeat on the road.

That run of seven successive losses has pegged them back in League One.

On Saturday they go to Yeovil, before a trip to Tranmere a week on Friday followed by a visit to Southampton on March 23.

“We are six points ahead of the bottom four and I don’t like to think of it as a cushion until May, but sub-consciously it keeps you away from the danger,’’ said Roy O’Donovan, the striker on loan from Sunderland who banged in a hat-trick against Southend at the weekend.

“We have good quality here and the manager and Westy (Colin West) are a good partnership and they are wise enough to realise our fixtures have been tough lately.

“But we have some good ones coming up, with more points and goals to come.

“There’s been a tough run of games, Leeds, Charlton and Huddersfield and I know there’s Southampton to come at St Mary’s which will be tough, but we have teams in and round us of a similar standard and that could be something for the fans to look forward to.

“We’ve three away games in a row, it’s never going to be easy and hopefully we can grind some points out and keep moving on.’’ O’Donovan linked up with Adam Boyd to great affect on Saturday, the homegrown forward setting up two goals for the Irishman.

And, with Denis Behan pressing for a start and James Brown fit after knee trouble, O’Donovan is pleased to have made an instant impact.

“The intelligence of Boydy makes it so much easier for me and it showed with the first two goals,’’ he said.

“Then Denis for the third he was getting the ball out of his feet, I thought it was for one of his cannonballs, but he rolled it right into me.

“Everything worked a treat. Working with Boydy is great as a striker and he reminds me of someone I played with at Cork City, Neal Fenn. He is similar with a great touch, very clever. Me and Boydy are getting a good partnership going.’’ Pools reserves travel to face Rotherham this afternoon.

Brown is unlikely to be involved, with Chris Turner, while admitting his forward is now ready and fit enough to start games, claiming the shabby state of the Don Valley Stadium pitch won’t help his return from injury.