WITH their last two victories - and their only wins since December - coming in their last two Friday night games, Hartlepool United know the importance of making it three tonight.

Chesterfield and Huddersfield have been dispatched in recent weeks at Victoria Park.

Oldham are the visitors tonight and, while they have won six from their last seven games, Pool go into the game with no fear.

Paul Stephenson oversaw the victory over Huddersfield three weeks ago, as Pool turned in their best performance of the season to win 3-1.

And the temporary boss said: "All the players and staff are looking forward to it - a win can get us over that line at the bottom of the table.

"The last three or four Friday nights have been special and we want that to continue. We know if we get the tempo right and the start right, we can be a hard team to beat.

"Everyone wants to be backed and supported and if they are being backed, we will get more out of them. That's what we are trying to promote and I'll be backing them from the sidelines.

"The lads we have, I'm very confident in them and I'm proud of how they have played in the last few weeks.''

Pool have won two and drawn two of Stephenson's four home games - all against teams in the play-off and promotion mix when they visited Victoria Park.

It's the belief Pool have taken from those results and performances that will go a long way to securing safety.

"We have respect for Oldham, they are on a decent run but so were Chesterfield and Huddersfield,'' said Stephenson. "We have nothing to fear.

"We all know that the fans recognise that we have turned the corner in terms of performance at home.

"That has been reflected in the last four games here - two wins and two draws which could easily have been four wins.

"And if we can continue that momentum going into our remaining home games and put in some good performances then I am sure we will turn those one-pointers into three.''

He added: "We have taken ten points from the last eight games, which isn't relegation form but it looks as though we will need a bit more than from our last eight to be sure.

"We have played against several of the top sides and I think that we have been unlucky not to have 12 or 14 from those games and it is the same commitment we will need in the run-in.

Oldham are outside the play-off zone on goal difference and in Luke Beckett have a striker with ten goals in his last ten games and 13 from his last 17.

Chris Llewellyn has recovered from the illness that forced him out of last week's defeat at Southend and he could start on the flank, with Adam Boyd pushing for a return to the starting line-up.

Oldham boss Ronnie Moore is likely to stick with the same side from last week's win over Blackpool.

His side has won two of their last three away games, scoring eight, but conceding nine.

l Tickets are on sale, at reduced prices, for Pool's trip to Swindon a week tomorrow.

They are £21.00 (adults), £13 (OAP, students) and £9 (juniors), with a £2 increase on the day.

Read more about Hartlepool here.