Story of the day: Hartlepool United 4-0 Weymouth – fans return with a bang at Victoria Park as Pools finish fourth
and live on Freeview channel 276
Goals from Ryan Johnson, Rhys Oates, Mark Shelton and Gavan Holohan saw Pools claim a comfortable victory against The Terras.
The result means Pools end the season fourth in the National League due to Stockport County winning 1-0 at Yeovil Town.
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FULL-TIME: Hartlepool United 4 (Johnson 8’, Oates 34’, Shelton 64’, Holohan 78’) Weymouth 0
Key Events
- It’s the final day of the regular National League season as Pools will find out where they have finished in the table and who they will play in the play-offs next month
- Pools XI: James; Ferguson, Johnson, Liddle, Cass, Sterry; Featherstone, Shelton, Holohan; Oates, Elliott
- Pools subs: Ravas, Francis-Angol, Crawford, Donaldson, Molyneux
- Pools bookings: Featherstone (88)
- Weymouth XI: Benfield; McQuoid, Leslie-Smith, Robinson, Brooks, Dallas, Mensah, Murray, Harfield, Worman, Fonkeu
- Weymouth subs: Ngalo, Lander, Bruton, Ross, Shields
- Weymouth bookings: Brooks (38)
- Referee: Adam Herezeg
IT’S MATCHDAY!
Welcome back to our Pools live blog for the final matchday of the regular National League season. Next up is the play-offs but first Pools have got to get the business done against Weymouth at Victoria Park this afternoon.
Dave Challinor’s side will find out their final standings in the table and who they will welcome to The Vic for next month’s play-off match - it could be one of several teams.
But today they face a Weymouth side who sit 18th in the table with nothing to play for but with the knowledge that they have already bested Pools once this season back at The Bob Lucas Stadium in January.
Most importantly, today will mark the return of fans back to Victoria Park for the first time this season.
Over 1,700 supporters will be in attendance to cheer Dave Challinor’s side on as they look to end the regular season in style.
Challinor on fan return
“Regardless of the situation, getting fans back into the ground is something that should be a celebration for everybody,” said the Pools boss.
“From a club, player, staff perspective, to thank fans in the flesh, some of them, is something we’re really looking forward to.
Hopefully the fans can give players the support over 90-minutes and show their appreciation a little bit – I’m sure they will.
“Hopefully we don’t need them as such on Saturday but certainly when a play-off game arises and they’re in the ground, they’re going to be massively important for us.”
Here’s how the play-off race is looking - it’s tight!
Today’s fixtures - all 12:30pm kick-off
Games in bold will impact the play-off standings.
Hartlepool United v Weymouth
Yeovil Town v Stockport County
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham
Woking v Wealdstone
Boreham Wood v Maidenhead United
FC Halifax Town v Chesterfield
King’s Lynn Town v Aldershot Town
Altrincham v Torquay United
Solihull Moors v Eastleigh
Barnet v Sutton United
Bromley v Notts County
Today’s fixture has been much discussed over the past couple of months
Our Pools writer Dominic Scurr looks at the ridiculous turn of events that led to fans returning to Victoria Park for today’s match against Weymouth.
Early team news
“We’re managing bodies at the moment and that’s going to be the case,” Dave Challinor said. “Hopefully we can pick the team we want to pick.
“No one at the moment is absolutely ruled out, there are a few question marks and lads will train today and tomorrow and we’ll make decisions from there.”
Fleetwood Town loan striker Harvey Saunders has missed the last two games with a knee injury. Challinor was hoping the 23-year-old would be back available for this weekend but he remains a serious doubt.
“He had a scan on Wednesday so we’re waiting on the result from that and we’ll see how he is,” added the Pools boss.
“Whether he’ll be involved at the weekend is very questionable but fingers crossed we get some good news and we can push on with him.”
Elsewhere in the Pools squad, goalkeeper Ben Killip (elbow) and young forward Joe Grey (back) remain sidelined for the rest of the season.
Last time the side’s met
A first half Josh McQuoid header was enough to snatch a 1-0 victory for Weymouth at The Bob Lucas Stadium when the sides last met in January.
It was a frustrating afternoon for Hartlepool United as their four game winning streak came to an end with Luke Molyneux shown a straight red card just 10-minutes after coming on as a substitute.
“[The previous defeat at Weymouth] is in my mind, you want to right any wrongs as you do when you lose previously to any team,” Dave Challinor said ahead of today’s match.
“That was a game where nothing went for us on the day when we went down there and we may well have been there until now trying to score!
“Hopefully that’s a different scenario on Saturday and the game has extra importance with supporters being in the ground so hopefully there’s a great atmosphere and the players look forward to being in that environment.”