An 'important month' ahead for Hartlepool United

Pools have started life back in League Two reasonably well with 14 points from their opening nine games leaving them sitting seventh in the table.

But they have also won just one of their last five matches and scored just twice in that time.

Dave Challinor’s side are looking to start the month by picking up their first away win of the new season at Stevenage on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

The Boro haven’t won in their last seven games and were beaten 4-0 by Forest Green Rovers on their previous outing at The Lamex Stadium.

Pools’ position in the table is finely poised heading into the third month of the 2021-22 campaign. They sit just two points off an automatic promotion place but are also just two points off the bottom half of the table.

The team’s results this month won’t define their season, but with seven games to play, it could potentially provide a platform to really push on. Conversely, it could see their initially good start turn into a mediocre one should results fail to pick up.

After facing Stevenage this weekend, Pools then host League One side Morecambe in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night (7pm kick-off) before welcoming play-off chasing Northampton Town to Victoria Park next Saturday (3pm kick-off).

A Saturday, Tuesday away double header at Salford City (3pm kick-off) and Bradford City (7:45pm kick-off) respectively then follows on the 16th and 19th.

The following weekend will see Pools face high-flying Harrogate Town (3pm kick-off) at The Vic before ending the month with a long journey to East London to face a Leyton Orient side who currently sit second in the table.

Pools boss Dave Challinor told The Mail: “It’s an important month for us and not only the number of games but who we’re playing as well – we’ve got tough games.

“Travelling to Stevenage will be tough, Northampton have started the season well and if you were taking post-season teams, having Salford, Bradford, Leyton Orient and Harrogate in a row is four big teams financially who you expect to be up there and competing so it’ll be a challenge but we have to meet it head on.

"We’re really looking forward to it.”

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