Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor previews 2021 opener against Wealdstone

Pools go into the game sitting second in the National League table after ending 2020 with three straight wins.

They’ll be hoping to claim a fourth straight league win for the first time since September 2018 against newly-promoted Wealdstone.

After winning the National League South last season, The Stones enjoyed a solid start to the 2020-21 campaign. Four straight wins between October and November shot Dean Brennan’s side into the play-off places after eight games.

But they now sit two points off the play-off places in 14th and haven’t played since their 4-0 defeat at Maidenhead United on Boxing Day.

On Saturday’s opponents, Hartlepool boss Dave Challinor said: “They’re a new team into the league and they’ve had a difficult transition for them with the way the league has been so far.

“They’re a team that have shown what wins do in terms of the table. They had a run where they won four on the bounce which put them right up there but they’ve struggled slightly since.

“They’ll be quite happy with where they are currently after coming into a new league and the uncertainty that it brings.

"They’re in the middle of the table knowing that a couple of wins puts them back up at the top end but they’ll be looking over the shoulder a little bit knowing that a couple of wins can change things quickly.”

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