Dave Challinor reacts to National League play-off schedule with Hartlepool United set to host Bromley in eliminator match – kick-off time rescheduled

A dramatic day of action saw Hartlepool secure fourth place with a convincing 4-0 win over Weymouth in front of 1,700 supporters at Victoria Park.

In reality, fourth place would have been secure regardless of their result as fifth placed Notts County were beaten 1-0 at Bromley

That was a result that had significant permutations on the play-off standings as it saw Bromley climb up into seventh position in the table while Notts remained fifth. Chesterfield finished sixth following a 2-1 win over Halifax Town to set up a play-off match at Meadow Lane next Saturday.

And on Sunday, Pools will host Bromley at Victoria Park with a rescheduled 2:30pm kick-off and fans set to return once again for the play-off match.

The winners will then travel to Stockport County the following week for a place in the play-off final.

Pools didn't beat Bromley during the regular season with a goalless draw at Victoria Park and a 1-0 defeat at Hayes Lane at the start of May.

“It is what it is,” Pools boss Dave Challinor said. "Bromley will be celebrating that they’ve got in the play-offs but I suppose reality will kick in and they’ll realise they’ve got to come here and put on a performance to beat us.

"We’ve had two close scoring games, although it was a 0-0 here earlier in the season, we battered them to be fair. They were miles better than us when we played them at their place but the second half was pretty close.

"There’s been one goal in the two games so I’m sure it will be a very competitive game but it’s one we’re looking to progress with. We’ll be doing everything to make sure that happens.”

He added: “The week changes with us playing on Sunday. We’ll be off Monday, in Tuesday, Wednesday, off Thursday and then train Friday, Saturday.

"I’m sure that Saturday afternoon we’ll watch the play-off game that takes place before ours. It’s all about Sunday and leading into that now.

"We might have to make changes in terms of who is training and what they need to do but we know everything about Bromley so we’ll go into the game full of confidence and looking to win.”

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