Hartlepool United kick off their FA Cup campaign with a first round clash at Gainsborough Trinity
Match Preview
Gainsborough Trinity progressed to the first round proper after a convincing 4-0 victory at Bradford Park Avenue.
Pools boss Danny Wilson is wary of the threat Trinity will pose ‘They will play with no fear and have absolutely nothing to lose,’
‘It will be a tough game and there’s no doubt about that; they have players in there who have played in League football so we won’t be taking them lightly.
He told Pools World that the non-league side will be looking fr a memorable win ‘We can’t go out there with the attitude that everything will be ok – we have to make things happen.
‘But if we can prepare in the right way and do the things we know we can do then we’ll be a stern test for Gainsborough.’
Gainsborough boss Paul Mitchell admitted that the game against Hartlepool means a lot to his side ‘This game means a lot to them. We’re probably a cup side and a lot of it may come down to whether it’s meant to be. Teams that are top of the league at our level are not necessarily good in the cups, but we know that we can beat anyone on the day. Cup football is different.’
He told the PFA that he wants a big crowd for the game on Sunday ‘Being at home is massive for us. We want everyone to bring their mothers, grandmothers, friends and family down with them. We’re trying to pull in as many people as we can and get a big crowd.’
‘We want to generate a real cup atmosphere because it’s a big day for us.’
Gainsborough Trinity Team News:
Trinity team news to follow
Player to watch: Chris Hall
Hall has been courting interest from team higher up the league ladder after joining from Burton Albion in the summer
Hartlepool Team News:
Willie Boland misses the game through suspension and Matty Robson has picked up a calf injury in training.
Player to watch: Michael Mackay
Mackay scored 43 goals for non-league Consett before his move to Pools in February and will pose a huge threat to the Trinity defence. He’ll also want to stake a claim for a more regular slot in the Pools side.
Match Facts & Stats
Pools have faced Trinity just once before, an FA Cup tie ended with Pools on the end of a 4-0 defeat nearly 95 years ago
Match Prediction:
After the poor result at Huddersfield it’s the perfect chance to bounce back.
Trinity will be well up for this and Pools will need to watch out. It’ll be a good chance for Michael Mackay to stake his claim and i hope he does well.
I’m predicting a win, Mackay to bag 2 alongside Sweeney and Humphreys goals.
Gainsborough 1-4 Hartlepool
