The Bulls travel to Victoria Park with their League One future hanging by a thread.
Back in December the two sides shared the points at Edgar Street after a toothless Pools side were handed an equaliser from Dean Beckwith's header into his own net after Steve Guinan had given the Bulls the lead at the second time of asking, but the game still cost Danny Wilson his job as manager. The head to head stats favour the Bulls greatly, with more than half the matches between the two sides ending up with a Bulls victory.
The Pools come into the match on the back of a run of five straight losses, conceding at least twice in each of those games. Since the December meeting they have slowly slid into trouble, with manager Chris Turner winning just five of his 22 matches so far. Their main strike threat is winger Joel Porter but the 19 goal Australian is to return to his home country at the end of the season. Without him they have struggled for goals, with star striker James Brown out injured since November.
The Bulls require three points. Nothing else will do. The much more adventurous side fielded by Graham Turner against Huddersfield signalled that the Bulls are prepared to fight for the cause. The blank midweek will have given some weary legs a rest, and the chance to try something different in training. Let's hope it's the difference that will spark a late surge to safety.
Hartlepool United vs Hereford United, Victoria Park, Saturday April 4th, 3.00pm.