Hartlepool United welcome Harrogate Town to Victoria Park on Tuesday night, with Pools desperately searching for a change in momentum after four successive National League defeats. Harrogate travel to the north-east from a much stronger position, sitting fourth with 19 points from ten matches after returning to winning ways at the weekend.
Hartlepool’s difficult run continued on Saturday with a 4-1 defeat away at Scunthorpe United. Will Harris gave Pools the lead in the 27th minute, but Pat Jones equalised just three minutes later before the Iron took control after the interval.
Kyle Hurst put Scunthorpe ahead shortly after the restart before James Norwood and substitute Hugh Parker added further goals to complete a convincing victory. The result left Hartlepool with four consecutive league defeats following earlier losses against Kidderminster Harriers, Altrincham and Worthing.
Pools’ only victory across their last five matches came at home against Woking, with a 1-0 win briefly providing respite before the current losing sequence began. They have at least found the net in each of their last three fixtures, scoring against Altrincham, Worthing and Scunthorpe, but those matches have produced no points and eight goals conceded.
Tuesday also represents Hartlepool’s second league fixture since Lee Clark resigned following the 3-1 home defeat against Worthing. His departure came after just four months in charge, leaving Pools searching for stability following a difficult opening to the campaign.
Harrogate arrive in considerably better form after responding emphatically to consecutive defeats with a 4-1 home victory over Eastleigh on Saturday. Brad Dolaghan scored twice in the first half, either side of Jordan Cousins’ equaliser, before Bailey Hobson and substitute George Thomson added further goals after the break.
The victory ended a brief two-match losing run for Simon Weaver’s side. Harrogate had previously recorded successive wins against Scunthorpe United and Tamworth before defeats against AFC Fylde and league leaders Boreham Wood. Their last five National League matches have therefore produced three wins and two defeats.
Goals have been a consistent feature of Harrogate’s season. They have scored in all ten National League matches so far, finding the net 24 times in total. Only a handful of sides can better that attacking return, although 17 goals conceded means their fixtures have also regularly produced opportunities at both ends.
The clubs have met three times competitively over the previous three seasons, with the record evenly balanced at one victory apiece and one draw. Those encounters have produced 13 goals in total, with Hartlepool scoring seven and Harrogate six.
Harrogate begin Tuesday fourth in the National League with 19 points from ten matches after six wins, one draw and three defeats. They have scored 24 goals and conceded 17 for a goal difference of +7. Hartlepool sit 21st with nine points after three wins and seven defeats, scoring eight and conceding 15.
Tuesday therefore brings together two sides experiencing sharply contrasting runs. Hartlepool are looking to end a sequence of four consecutive defeats and secure their first points since Clark’s departure, while Harrogate travel to Victoria Park aiming to build on Saturday’s four-goal victory and maintain their position among the National League’s leading sides.
