Hartlepool United 1 Torquay United 1 LIVE: Pools are back in the Football League after stunning 5-4 penalty shoot-out win
and live on Freeview channel 276
The final is taking place at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate stadium at 2pm today, with Dave Challinor’s side backed by 3,100 Pools fans who have travelled to the south west over the weekend.
Our team will keep you up-to-speed with the latest team and injury news ahead of kick-off, with rolling coverage of the game plus action, analysis and reaction to come over the course of the day.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDom Scurr, Rich Mennear and Frank Reid are in Bristol for the Mail to bring you unrivalled coverage as Pools look to win promotion back to the Football League after four years at this level.
Pools have beaten Bromley and Stockport County to reach the final.
Scroll down for the latest developments from Ashton Gate in our live blog.
Hartlepool United 1 (Armstrong, 34) Torquay United LIVE: Pools win 5-4 on penalties!!
Key Events
- Hartlepool face Torquay in the National League play-off final, kick-off is 2pm here in Bristol.
- A place in the Football League is at stake with the final played at Ashton Gate, there will be 3,100 Pools fans watching on.
- Pools: James; Ferguson, Johnson, Liddle, Odusina, Sterry; Featherstone, Shelton, Holohan; Oates, Armstrong
- Pools subs: Killip, Donaldson, Molyneux, Francis-Angol, Elliott
- Torquay: Covolan, Wynter, Cameron, Lemonheigh-Evans, Hall (c), Wright, Little, Randell, Sherring, Moxey, Lewis.
- Torquay subs: MacDonald, Buse, Andrews, Waters, Kimpioka.
Pre-match comments from Featherstone, Challinor and Holohan
Featherstone: “From that day we got relegated, I felt I owed the club something. I wanted to stay and try and get us back.”
Holohan: “I’ve always looked at the play-off system over here and thought I wanted to be involved in that. I’m lucky to have come to a big club like Hartlepool, play in the play-offs and hopefully we can make some history.”
Challinor: “I’ve been at a lot of clubs but this is the biggest one that shows that the football club is the town. To return them to where everyone thinks they should be as a club would be a huge achievement.”
View from the Torquay camp
Gary Johnson: “I was disappointed it wasn’t at Wembley, because you feel a final should always be at Wembley.
“But my second choice would have been Bristol City. It looks like a mini-Wembley with the red seats and the shape of the stadium.”
10 minutes to kick-off and the atmosphere is incredible
Not long to go here now, 3,100 Pools fans and the same amount of Torquay fans here today.
The atmosphere is very loud, electric as the players prepare to come out. How are the nerves?