Dave Challinor reflects on previous meeting against Notts County ahead of his appointment as Hartlepool United manager

Just days before he was officially confirmed as Pools’ new manager, Challinor was in the stands at Meadow Lane to watch a thrilling 2-2 draw with the Magpies.

Goals from Gavan Holohan and Luke James put Hartlepool 2-0 ahead in what was an irresistible opening 40-minutes from the visitors. But a Wes Thomas goal on the stroke of half-time saw the game swing in the hosts’ favour as Thomas found the net again after the break as Pools had to settle for a point.

Plenty has changed since then with just four players (Ben Killip, Mark Kitching, Nicky Featherstone and Ryan Donaldson) who started in the 2-2 draw featuring in the side’s 2-0 victory over Aldershot Town last time out.

Challinor has previously pointed to the Notts County game as one that got him excited about taking over as manager.

“The reverse fixture was a really good game with a great atmosphere,” he said.

“It was a strange one for us with the game being off last Saturday, hopefully we’ve carried the momentum from the Aldershot win into this week.

“I think the atmosphere will be great again and hopefully the crowd will be a big one and the weather doesn’t spoil it or reduce it at all.

“It’s two big football clubs who ultimately want to get back to where they’ve spent almost all of their past.

“I went to Notts last weekend and I know it’ll be a tough game.

“We know what we’ll be up against and if I go back to the game where I was an interested spectator, it’s a game where we should have won and shown how games can change on small moments.

“One moment in the 46th minute changes momentum and gets the crowd back into it when at 2-0 the game should have been done.

“The players who played in that game should take a lot from that but this is a different game and one we’re looking forward to.”