EIFION WILLIAMS has refused to give up on his goal of playing for Wales after suffering a cruel double blow with Hartlepool United.

The unfortunate Williams' last-ditch slide, as he attempted to stop Christian Roberts from putting Bristol City into the final of the Division Two play-offs on Wednesday night, has left him with a pulled hamstring.

And now the striker, who played both right-midfield and right-back at Ashton Gate, looks like he will have to pull out of the Wales squad for matches with Norway and Canada next week.

The former Barry Town forward, named in the squad for the first time, would have become the first Pool player since Ambrose Fogarty in 1964 to play for his country.

But Williams, still drained from a gruelling night in Gloucestershire, wants to make sure Welsh boss Mark Hughes comes calling again if he misses out this time around.

"I have tweaked it and it's painful," said Williams.

"I'm disappointed because we have lost in the play-offs and now I will probably look back and I've missed out on Wales as well.

"But hopefully I will be back in the squad next year and if I can keep up my form for Hartlepool, where I have another two years on my contract, then I don't see any reason why I can't."

Antony Sweeney's second half header put Poolwithin touching distance of the incredible prospect of playing at the Millennium Stadium.

Just to get so close proved all the cynics, who predicted a season of struggle in Division Two back in August, wrong.

But Williams hopes Pool push on and make sure they are well-equipped for another battle in Division Two.

"We have done better than a lot of people imagined but we will give it everything next year and we know it will be harder," said Williams.

"Teams will be more wary of us and we have to make sure we work even harder than we did this season.

"I wonder if we will be favourites to go down again?"

He added: "We had to be mentally strong and everyone has played their part in a great season. I appreciate the fans and what they have done for us because without them we wouldn't be here."

Read more about Hartlepool here.