Fading play-off hopes and Nicky Featherstone's uncertain future: what next for Hartlepool United?
Hartlepool United's National League play-offs hopes might be hanging by a thread, but Pools at least managed to keep the dream alive by edging past bottom club Truro City on Saturday.
After their top seven ambitions were dealt a huge blow following back-to-back home defeats against Sutton United and Halifax Town, one of their direct rivals for the final play-off place, Pools made the mammoth trek to the Cornish capital knowing that three points were a must in order to retain any realistic prospect of achieving promotion this season.
Although the Pools performance left a lot to be desired, Charlie Caton's 49th minute strike ensured the well over 200 travelling fans made the 436-mile trip back to the North East with something to celebrate as Nicky Featherstone's side kept the pressure on the teams above them.
For the first time since the Accrington Stanley loanee joined Pools in February, Featherstone named both him and leading scorer Alex Reid in the same starting XI. While Pools were far more battling than breathtaking in picturesque Cornwall, it was at least a statement of intent and an insight into the considerable importance of winning at the weekend.
Featherstone, of course, will be all too aware that he faces an uncertain future and in all likelihood will, at least, need to keep Pools in play-off contention between now and the end of the season if he's to convince new American owner Landon Smith that he's the right man to lead the team into the 2026/27 campaign.
There has been plenty to like about the 37-year-old's time in charge so far but it's pretty clear that fans are not yet sold on the former midfielder's merits in the dugout.
In Featherstone's favour is that fact that his record compares positively to many of his predecessors, while he's masterminded impressive wins over title-chasing Rochdale and big-spending rivals Carlisle United, for which Smith was in attendance.
Yet there have also been some low points, not least two humbling cup exits at the hands of lower league opposition, heavy defeats against Woking - the first game since Smith completed his takeover of the club on New Year's Eve - and Aldershot Town as well as several fairly tepid and turgid performances, especially at home. The disappointing defeat against Halifax, a game which held so much importance that Smith flew back from the States in order to attend, is unlikely to have done Featherstone any favours.
Whatever the case, there is a compelling argument to be made that Pools and Featherstone should be given the chance to grow and develop together; after all, Featherstone is mere months into his first ever job in management, which likely came around much sooner than even he must have expected.
Yet if Smith is to be his faith in Featherstone's potential, then Pools will have to finish the season strongly; while it might not be play-offs or bust as far as Featherstone is concerned, it feels important that Pools are able to have a decent crack at the top seven and finish the campaign with some momentum.
As both Featherstone and his assistant Gary Liddle have admitted, Pools have no more than "an outside chance" of gatecrashing the top seven this term.
Although Pools have been generally solid at the back and boast one of the National League's better defensive records, they have been plagued by a dearth of goals, struggles at home and a lack of consistency.
If Pools are to upset the odds and sneak into the play-off places, then they'll have to banish all of those demons and string a run of wins together; given recent performances and their record this season, that seems extremely unlikely.
While Halifax, the current occupants of the coveted seventh spot, still look to be within reach - the Shaymen have opened up a five-point gap over Pools but Adam Lakeland's side have played a game more - Southend United appear to be in the driving seat.
The Essex outfit, who are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions - albeit three of those have been draws and one was a narrow FA Trophy win over National League South side Horsham - are four points clear of Pools with three games in hand.
Although there is no guarantee that the Shrimpers will win all or even any of their games in hand - after all, Kevin Maher's side will have to cope with a rigorous schedule between now and the end of the campaign as they catch up with the sides around them - as few as four points from those three matches could well end any dreams Pools might still be harbouring of a trip to Wembley.
Yet there is still a glimmer of hope for Pools, with Southend set to visit Victoria Park on Tuesday, April 21, the final week of the season.
By the time the Shrimpers make the long journey up from Essex, it will be their third away game in succession and fourth in their last five matches; Southend travel to Sutton, Aldershot, Halifax and Pools in what promises to be a gruelling end to the campaign.
If - and, at this stage, it's a big if - Pools can haul themselves to within striking distance of Southend - it's worth noting at this stage that the Shrimpers have a significantly better goal difference, meaning Featherstone's side will either need to outscore them by 22 goals between now and the end of the campaign or finish on more points as opposed to level - then things could get interesting heading into the final round of fixtures.
As both Featherstone and Liddle have been at pains to point out, all Pools can really do is focus on themselves and hope that results elsewhere work in their favour.
Pools have three winnable games on the horizon, welcoming Eastleigh, who are 18th, on Saturday before trips to Morecambe, who are fourth from bottom but have been in excellent form of late, and Wealdstone, who are drifting towards a mid-table finish.
It feels absolutely vital that Featherstone's side pick up maximum points from their next three matches, especially given what follows looks to be an extremely tricky end to the campaign, with Pools set to take on Scunthorpe United, Rochdale, Boreham Wood, Forest Green Rovers and Southend - all sides in the top eight - before finishing the season at in-form Boston United, who have won six of their last nine matches.
Barring a miraculous finish, then, Pools look to have left themselves too much to do this term. Although not impossible, Featherstone's side would need to transform themselves almost overnight into a far more potent attacking force capable of stringing a run of wins together for the first time all season.
Even so, it's important that Pools ensure the campaign doesn't peter out ahead of what has the potential to be a hugely significant summer under the new ownership of Smith.
So, while hope of a play-off finish this season might be all but over, Pools have the chance to harness the newfound optimism that has surrounded Smith's takeover as they look to propel themselves back towards League Two; if Pools can transform hope into genuine belief, starting over the next six weeks and continuing throughout the summer and into the new season, then a return to the Football League might not be quite so far away, after all.