Gillingham have been joined by Hartlepool in the battle to avoid the drop into League 2.

Pool were deducted three points and handed a suspended £10,000 fine for fielding a suspended player in the 2-0 win over Brighton last month.

The deduction leaves the club a point and a place below the Gills and lifts Mark Stimson’s side up a position into 18 heading into the final weekend of the season.

It means that there is now one more club, along with Tranmere and Exeter, between the Gills and the drop-zone.

Hartlepool were handed the points deduction on Thursday, following investigations by both the Football League and the FA into the reasoning behind Gary Liddle’s appearance for Hartlepool. He had accumulated ten bookings and was supposed to be starting an automatic two-game ban when he played in the Easter fixture.

Hartlepool face a trip to Brentford on Saturday knowing a draw or a defeat could send them down. Pool have already lodged an appeal with the Football League against the ruling.

Do you agree with the decision to deduct Hartlepool points? Comment below.