Hartlepool United handed home draw in FA Trophy fourth round

John Askey’s side will take on the National League South outfit in the next round of the competition after they progressed with a 5-1 win over City of Liverpool.

Hartlepool came from a goal behind on Merseyside to record a comfortable victory over the Northern Premier League West side and move into the last 32 of the competition. And they will face Mel Gwinnett’s Hampton & Richmond who booked their spot in the fourth round in dramatic style after coming from two goals down to win a penalty shootout against Southend United.

The fourth round tie is scheduled to take place on the weekend of Saturday, January 13, 2024.

Pools have already gone further in the competition than they did the last time they entered after they were knocked out by FC Halifax Town in the third round in 2020. The Shaymen are the current holders of the competition after defeating Gateshead in last season’s final at Wembley.

And although Pools boss Askey has suggested his side have more important matters to focus on in the league, he admits the competition can become a nice distraction the further they are able to progress in the competition.

Askey said: “We got through to the next round and if we win another two games in this then everybody starts to get excited about going to Wembley.

"But they don’t really mean a great deal until you get into the quarter-final stages.”