JOHN Askeys says it would be a "travesty" if Hartlepool United were relegated from League Two, as Pools prepare for their make or break clash with rivals Crawley on Saturday.

Second bottom Pools are three points behind Crawley with a marginally inferior goal difference with three games to play.

Hartlepool have given themselves a good shot at staying up thanks to a major improvement in form under Askey - but have lost their last two games.

The boss, though, says there's been no hangover from the Newport and Salford defeats.

And Askey says it would be the best achievement of his managerial career if he was able to mastermind an escape for Pools.

"We have to win," said Askey ahead of the crunch Crawley visit.

"There's no getting away from that. If we get a result it's by no means done. We'll put all our efforts into it and hopefully it will be enough. I'm looking forward to it and quite positive.

"I'm desperate to stay up, not for myself but for everyone involved. There's a lot of good people at the club and jobs are at stake. Hopefully I'm sat here in three weeks with smiles on our faces.

"It would be the biggest achievement as a manager for me (if Pools survived).

"It would please me the most. It's a club where wherever I've been and since I've been here, the support deserves to be a league club. Crawley are bringing 150 supporters, that's the difference between the clubs, for Hartlepool to go out (of the league) would be a travesty."

Askey is calling on the home supporters to play their part at the Suit Direct Stadium, and has stressed the importance of calm heads to his players.

He told BBC Tees: "There'd be something wrong if you weren't (nervous). There's more on this game than any game. To keep league status means so much. We all know what's at stake but I think we're in a pretty good place to do something about it.

"The supporters have had a big impact in previous games. Whether we've won or got a draw, it does have an impact on the opposition. We hope that's the case again.

"Once we get the crowd going you can visibly see the opposition start to panic and it's as though they're sucking it in the net at times. We have to try and use that but we have to perform.

"Hopefully we can start well. The main thing is to be solid. We can't afford to go gung-ho. It's one I wish I wasn't involved in but one I'm looking forward to."