Hartlepool United's training preparations explained as Dave Challinor gives players the weekend off

It’s FA Trophy weekend for most National League clubs, leaving Pools without a game following their early penalty shoot-out exit at the hands of Halifax Town last month.

Meetings with The Shaymen seem to be cursed for Pools in recent weeks with their league match at The Shay twice being postponed due to a frozen pitch.

The most recent postponement came on Tuesday evening just as the Hartlepool players arrived at the stadium.

Pools’ squad players kept themselves fresh with a 5-2 friendly win over Sunderland under-23s at The Academy of Light on Wednesday afternoon.

Challinor had hoped to play a game this weekend as he looked to arrange a friendly game but had little success. Hartlepool had also discussed bringing their league match at Eastleigh forward to this weekend but nothing could be arranged.

Discussing his squad’s plans for the week ahead of Weymouth, Challinor told The Mail: “We’re not playing a game on Saturday. Our plan was to hopefully play on Tuesday which didn’t happen then play a friendly on Wednesday before giving the players a few days off.

"Then we’d have a week leading into the Weymouth game next Saturday. The lads who would have started on Tuesday trained on Wednesday morning so everybody did a good session.

"They were off Thursday, we set them work on Friday and then we have the weekend off before getting back at it on Monday.”

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