Hartlepool United looking to return to second in the National League table with victory over Sutton United as uncertainty looms over the season

Pools spent the best part of a month sitting second before last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Weymouth and Sutton’s 3-0 win at Eastleigh saw the South London outfit leapfrog Dave Challinor’s side in the table.

A midweek draw for the U’s at Torquay helped them move a point clear of Hartlepool with two games in hand.

But with long trips to Victoria Park and Stockport County’s Edgely Park coming up for Sutton, Challinor is hoping to take advantage.

“Sutton have a tough run of fixtures but the table is that tight that two wins could take you from mid-table up to second and third where we are,” he told The Mail.

“For us, it’s a big game and we’re at home. We don’t know whether Sutton will come to beat us given the position they’re in where they’re [a point ahead] with games in hand on us, or if they’ll be more reserved.

"It’s a game we want to win and the end of one run for us has to be the start of another run and hopefully we get the opportunity to play that game and try and win.”

Hartlepool’s previous meeting with Sutton proved to be the final match of the 2019-20 season before it was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both sides will be hoping to avoid a repeat this season with the campaign still very much up in the air.

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