Hartlepool United v Harrogate Town
Vanarama National League
Wednesday 1st January 2020
Victoria Park
In Opposition
Harrogate Town followed up their 4-1 win over Pools on Boxing Day with a 2-0 triumph at Chorley on Saturday to move just three points behind league-leaders Barrow.
Simon Weaver's men are enjoying another successful season at
National League level, backing up their debut campaign in the fifth tier last
term when they qualified for the play-offs.Having won promotion from National League North in 2017/18,
the North Yorkshire side have big ambitions to push towards the EFL and have
once again emerged as one of the contenders this season.A little wobble in form during November when they conceded more
goals than they would have liked and won just once has now seemingly been brushed
aside and they will enter the New Year with real optimism.One To Watch
Jon Stead can boast a good record in front of goal against Pools in recent times having more than once found the net against us whilst in the colours of Notts County.
The experienced front man joined Harrogate during the summer
and has been a fairly regular starter this season, scoring four goals including
the second in their 2-0 weekend win at Chorley.Although Stead hasn't scored in either Town's recent
meetings with Pools, he was still a threat and a focal point for their attack
so he will need well-marshalling again during the New Year's Day contest.Head To Head
Our New Year's Day encounter with Harrogate Town will be the fifth competitive
meeting and Pools are still waiting for their first victory over the North Yorkshire
outfit.The sides drew 2-2 in their first fixture at Victoria Park
the start of last season but Town have won the three meetings since then,
including the two games in December.Last Meeting
Harrogate Town 4 Pools 1
Thursday 26th December 2019
Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Hall, W Smith, Falkingham, Burrell, Emmett, Bradley, Kerry, Stead, Muldoon, Diamond (Thomson 87).
Subs not used: Cracknell, Fallowfield, G Smith, Kiernan.
Pools: Killip, Kioso, Liddle, Raynes (Holohan 59), Kitching, Featherstone (Shelton 79), Mafuta (Kabamba 59), Hawkes, Donaldson, Hamilton, Toure.
Subs not used: Kerr, Richardson.
On The Whistle
Andrew Kitchen will be in charge of his second game at Victoria Park this season when he's our referee for Wednesday's meeting with Harrogate Town.
The official is in his first season on the National League's list of referees and was at The Vic back in August as we went down 3-2 on home soil to Bromley.
Kitchen's most recent appointment came at the beginning of November when he saw Barrow win 1-0 against Sutton United at Holker Street.
Live Commentary
We'll be kicking-off the New Year with full live commentary of our meeting with Harrogate Town here on the Official Website.
Pools legend Brian Honour will once again be alongside Mark
Simpson to deliver full coverage of the return meeting with Harrogate with the
duo going on-air from 2.50pm.Click here now to access the FREE live online commentary.
Buying Tickets
Tickets for the game are available in advance from Victoria Park or online but will also be on sale on the day from the Main Ticket Office or from either of our two Matchday Ticket Offices.
Click here now for full information on buying tickets for games at The Vic.
Betting Odds
Pools 7/6
Harrogate 19/10
Draw 13/5
Click here for a full list of markets and odds ahead of the New Year's Day game.