Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor looking to take advantage of free weekend following Weymouth rearrangement

The game was initially set to take place this weekend but has been rearranged to the final day of the regular 2020-21 campaign on May 29 to allow all National League sides to kick-off at the same time with fans able to return to Victoria Park.

But with Pools on the back of a 7-2 win at Wealdstone and looking to continue their impressive home record, the two week break risks halting some of their momentum going into the final six games of the campaign.

But Challinor isn’t seeing things that way as he was able to take the positives from being without a game.

“Our most important game is the next one, whenever it is and we’ve got to make changes that we feel are necessary,” he told The Mail.

“Weymouth getting moved leaves us with no game for two weeks which gives us the opportunity to make sure everyone is in peak condition going into the last six games.

"We have two weeks before going straight into a Saturday, Monday which is a big ask in anyone’s book for players at any level so that’s one where all players will be needed.”

Hartlepool’s next match will see them host Chesterfield at Victoria Park live on BT Sport next Saturday (5:20pm kick-off).

They will then travel down to Bromley on Sunday ahead of the bank holiday Monday fixture (3pm kick-off) as they look to extend their 15 game unbeaten run – the longest of any side in the division this season.

Although his side are the in form team in the fifth tier, Challinor hasn’t been hesitant in making changes to the starting line-up.

"It’s one where if you’re fairly new to management and you’re on a run, you’ll want to change as little as possible,” he added.

"You name the same side, same subs and keep things consistent.

"But over time, you pick up things and you need to look at how players are and make sure that while the next game is the most important game and it’s vital that we win, are we able to win and tick boxes further down the line in terms of upcoming fixtures?”

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