Hartlepool United v Leeds United Under-21s: Pete Wild has team selection message ahead of National League Cup
Hartlepool United v Leeds United Under-21s: Pete Wild has team selection message.
While Hartlepool United have a two-week break from league action, they do have a National League Cup match on Tuesday evening at The Vic.
Pools host Leeds United U21s on Tuesday (KO 7pm) hoping for a more positive result than their previous National League Cup games which has seen defeats to Middlesbrough U21s (club record 10-0 loss), Everton U21s (0-1) and Newcastle United U21s (1-2).
Head coach Pete Wild has made clear he is treating them as first team matches, though more changes are expected for the visit of Leeds United. Pools do, however, have to name at least four first team players who either featured in the Boreham Wood defeat at the weekend or who start the next league fixture in the starting XI to play Leeds.
When asked how he would treat team selection, Wild told the Mail: “There'll be quite a few first-team players who need the games and probably lads who are not featuring in the squad will be in there. We have a duty to have four that have started the last or start the next [National League] game. So, there's a bit of that, it'll be a balancing act.
“I need to get through Saturday [at Boreham Wood] and see where bodies are. I mean, there's nothing on the game but because it is a first-team game and it is my name above the front door - I go into every football match trying to win. It's a balancing act.”
Pools are bottom of the eight-team table, with zero points from their first 3 matches, Leeds sit just above them in 7th with three points and one win to their name. Boreham Wood top the group with 10 points from their four matches played.
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