HARTLEPOOL United tonight kick-off an away double-header which will go a long way to determining their play-off fate.

Pool go to Cheltenham tonight, before travelling to Kidderminser on Saturday - two teams rivalling Chris Turner's in-form side for a top-seven berth.

Cheltenham are ninth, Pool tenth and Kidderminster 11th.

Turner said: "We've two very difficult away games. It will be very tough at Cheltenham, they have a good record recently and have beaten some good teams in the FA Cup.

"If we can get some good points this week then we have two home games coming up which gives us a platform to push up in the top eight.

"We've been playing some great football of late and to win 5-1 again on Saturday was a great achievement.''

Tonight's game will come too soon for leading scorer Gordon Watson. He had knee surgery on February 9 and should be back at Kidderminster.

"He is aiming to be back at the weekend,'' confirmed Turner.

"Look at Saturday's performance and add Gordon Watson and you have one hell of a team.

"We have a good squad of players here. Adam Boyd has done exceptionally well and now Jermaine Easter has come in and started to show he can finish.

"He is doing what he was for Wales under-15s and Wolves youth team. He's still only 19 and has potential - I feel that next season there is a lot more to come and he can play a major role.

"He will frighten defenders and with his pace he can get in behind defenders and get goals.''

Ritchie Humpreys will be paired up front with Adam Boyd aiming to add to Saturday's double.

The striker doubled his tally for the season and admitted: "This one is a vital game. It will be very tough at Cheltenham, but we will go there and try to do what we did at Bristol a fortnight ago.

"We need to start collecting more points away from home. We've had a bit of a tough sequence with a few away games and a lot of travelling.

"It was disappointing to lose at York, but we should have won at Darlington. It was good to get back home and beat Southend like we did, we can take a lot of confidence from the game.

"We are looking at the play-offs and have 12 games to go. We will just keep our heads down and get on with it, without making too much about it.''

At Bristol Rovers a fornight ago, Turner reverted to playing threecentral defenders, but despite the threat posed by Julian Alsop, he is likely to stick with the same side that beat Southend so convincingly - but he has added James Sharp and Gordon Simms to the squad and one of the defenders will be on the bench.

Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill said: "Hartlepool's away form has not been as good as their home form but they are still a good side.

"They have scored 11 away from home and a lot of their goals have been at home. But I am pleased they are doing well because ever since we got into the League I have had a good relationship with Chris Turner.

"He is a good manager and they have started to show their full potential because they have a big squad.''

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