Pool's fate to be decided away from Vic

In recent years, it's been all about promotion, play-offs and a title tilt. This season, with eight games to go, their aim isn't to get out of a division, it's about staying in it.

Pool are fourth bottom and in the League One relegation places after losing at Southend - their ninth away loss of the season and their fourth game without a goal on the road.

Michael Proctor hit the bar from 25 yards and Joel Porter's normally assured touch let him down in front of goal, in Pool's best chances at Roots Hall.

But the home side showed why they are eight points ahead at the top and have the division's top scorer as they saw off the threat. It was the sort of home display that Pool have done so often in recent times.

Their next two away games are at Swindon and MK Dons. There's not many teams below Pool in the league ladder, but these are two.

Two more goalless away games and derbies with Darlington and trips to Accrington Stanley instead of Nottingham Forest will be on next season's agenda.

First up, however, it's Oldham at Victoria Park on Friday. A win and Pool are up to the heady heights of 18th, ahead of the following day's intriguing fixtures of Blackpool v Walsall and MK Dons v Gillingham.

The latter have won their last two games to move up to 16th, some four points ahead of Pool, who have won just two in 17.

That statistic may appear a little harsh because this defeat was only Pool's second under Paul Stephenson, and it was the temporary boss who overseen those two victories.

Pool have a habit of taking their season to the final day, this time it's at home with Port Vale visiting.

Skipper Ritchie Humphreys has been part of the squad that has enjoyed so many last-day dramas since his arrival in 2001.

They've all ended happily and, if Pool's fate isn't decided by May 6, the left-back - who made his 220th consecutive Football League appearance on Saturday - is desperate to make the final day another champagne affair.

"We always have something to play for at the end of the season - these are different circumstances,'' he said.

"Nobody at this club wants to be relegated. Nobody wants it to happen. Some of us have been at the club a long time, we think a lot of the club and the staff here.

"We certainly don't want to be relegated from this division because it took a lot of hard work from a lot of people to get here.

"We moved up a division and did very well in the two seasons that followed. It's up to everyone now to come in on Monday morning and get this result out of our system and get the result we all want on Friday night.''

He added: "It's in our hands, nobody else's. And it's up to us to get the points we need to stay up.

"We are back in the bottom four and we have to be strong enough mentally to handle what it's thrown at us.

"We had fans who travelled a long way in numbers and were in great voice and I'm sorry we couldn't give them something to cheer about.

"In terms of possession and chances created, on another day we could have got something from the game, instead it didn't happen.

"In recent years, everything has been rosy and gone along nicely. Now we are seeing the other side and we have to dig in and show that team spirit which has helped us get so far in recent seasons.''

Back in the 2001/2 promotion season, it was a first-minute goal from Eifion Williams that proved decisive for Pool at Roots Hall.

In 2006, there was another first-minute goal, this time, however, it was Mark Gower who turned the ball in after a sweeping move from the centre to right and back again.

Any notions of Southend starting a slump after defeat at MK Dons the previous week were immediately dispelled.

But it wasn't the start of a home onslaught, and, for long first-half periods, Pool controlled possession.

Thomas Butler was back in the side after first damaging his hamstring in the return fixture at Victoria Park on December 28.

And he saw plenty of the ball, was tricky with it, and in the games to come will be a key player if, Pool are to turn possession into goals.

Southend were happy to sit deep with two banks of five. The crowd were edgy, Southend's play was nervy.

Michael Proctor lifted the ball beyond keeper Daryl Flahaven - one of the few occasions they've managed it this season after his wonder show at Victoria Park - but it smashed off the top of the crossbar.

Pool were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Dimi Konstantopoulos' touch let him down and let Kevin Maher nip in and beyond the big keeper.

As they collided, Maher went to ground, but referee Jernal Singh played on.

Next time he slipped up, however, Konstantopoulos wasn't as fortunate. With the ball at his feet on the touchline outside his area they was little danger.

But, when he should have hit row Z, Freddy Eastwood nicked the ball from the keeper and rolled it in from an angle.

Joel Porter had a chance to get one back, after a flowing move started by Lee Bullock and moved on by Proctor, but his touch deserted him.

Proctor then fired a ball across the face of goal that was inches away from Porter's boot.

But the third came with the Pool back line standing off Eastwood, who arrowed a tapped free-kick into the bottom corner.

Eastwood for Southend, is doing the same job Boyd has done for Pool in recent years.

Bright, lively and capable of creating a goal from nothing. He didn't start on Saturday, but how Pool need Boyd somewhere back to his best in the coming weeks.

Result: Southend United 3, Hartlepool United 0.

Read more about Hartlepool here.