Hartlepool United 3 Bromley 2 RECAP: Rhys Oates on fire as Pools set up Stockport County semi-final
Pools host Bromley (2:30pm kick-off) in front of around 1,700 fans for the play-off eliminator round match. The game will be decided on the day, via extra-time and penalties if necessary, with the losing side’s season coming to an end.
And after waiting all season for fans to return to Victoria Park, Hartlepool will now experience back to back matches in front of their supporters in little over a week.
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Hide AdBut unlike last Saturday’s 4-0 win over Weymouth, the pressure is on Pools to deliver and not slip up against Bromley.
Pools boss Dave Challinor has admitted that nerves are natural going into these big games but he hopes the crowd will be able to carry on the support they displayed last time out.
Dom Scurr is at The Vic for the Mail and we will bring you unrivalled coverage throughout the day.
Hartlepool United 3 (Oates, 17, 24, Armstrong 20) Bromley 2 (Alabi, 48) LIVE: Action and analysis from Victoria Park
Key Events
- Pools: James; Ferguson, Johnson, Liddle, Odusina, Sterry; Featherstone, Shelton, Holohan; Oates, Armstrong
- Subs: Ravas, Donaldson, Saunders, Elliott, Francis-Angol
- Lewis Cass misses out with a hamstring injury but Luke Armstrong is back in the starting line-up
Dave Challinor confident in his players
Hartlepool United may lack play-off experience but manager Dave Challinor has the ‘utmost faith’ his players can deliver when they face Bromley on Sunday (2:30pm kick-off).
It’s Pools’ first play-off match since the League One play-off final defeat to Sheffield Wednesday 16 years ago.
And for many of Hartlepool’s young squad of players, it will be their first taste of play-off action when they host Bromley at Victoria Park.
Out of Pools’ regular starters, only Gary Liddle (Carlisle United, 2017) and Mark Shelton (Salford City, 2019) have prior play-off match experience at National League level or above.
Timi Odusina (AFC Fylde), Tom Crawford (Notts County), Ryan Donaldson (Cambridge United) and Zaine Francis-Angol (AFC Fylde) have also featured in National League play-off squads before.
Welcome to our live Pools blog as Dave Challinor’s side look to beat Bromley and secure their place in the National League play-off semi-final away at Stockport County next weekend.
How are the nerves?
Pools host Bromley at The Vic today, it is a perfect afternoon for football with the winners facing Stockport County away next weekend.
Will it be Pools? The 1,700 fans inside The Vic - and the thousands watching from home - will certainly hope so.
We will have full coverage throughout the afternoon. Team news coming up at 1.30pm.
