Lee Clark made three changes to his Hartlepool United lineup for Saturday's National League match against Woking at Victoria Park. The manager named new loan signing Cole Deeming on the bench for the first time, as reported by the Hartlepool Mail.
Hartlepool entered the contest sitting 11th in the National League with nine points from six games, having won three and lost three. Their recent form read WLLLW, with five goals scored and four conceded, leaving them seven points behind leaders Boreham Wood.
Who came into the Hartlepool side?
Neo Eccleston returned to the starting eleven after serving a one-match suspension for a red card received in the previous Friday's home loss to Eastleigh. Captain Jack Hunter and Chris Popov also came into the side, replacing Jordan Hugill and Jay Benn. Clark was forced into changes due to injuries, with Cam John ruled out with a dead leg sustained in Tuesday's defeat at FC Halifax Town. Max Kouogun and Corey McKeown were also unavailable.
What was the team news?
Hartlepool's starting lineup was: Merrick, Hunter, McNally, Ilunga, Miley, Harris, Eccleston, Sheron, Nolan, Popov, Gibson. Their substitutes included Fisher, Penman, Benn, Deeming, Thornton, Bondo, and Hugill. Deeming, a midfielder from West Bromwich Albion, had joined on a half-season loan just the day before the match. You can view the full squad details on our squad page.
Woking's starting eleven featured Jaaskelainen, Asare, Okoli, Ogie, Syla, Ward, Akinola, Dulson, Forster-Caskey, Turner, and Marquis. Their bench included Ross, Odusina, Sohna, O'Brien, Harris, Putman, and Akinola.
How does the squad depth look?
The return of Eccleston provided a boost, while the inclusion of Deeming on the bench added a new option in midfield. Clark's selection choices were influenced by the club's current injury situation, which you can track on our injuries page. The changes aimed to address a recent run of form that had seen the team lose three of their last four league matches prior to this fixture.
Hartlepool's league position of 11th reflected their mixed start to the campaign. Their goal difference of +1 showed they had been competitive in most games. The gap to the top of the table highlighted the competitive nature of the National League this season. Fans can follow the evolving league picture on our standings page.
What comes next for Hartlepool?
The match against Woking represented an opportunity to build momentum ahead of a busy period. The team's schedule includes several key fixtures in the coming weeks, all of which are listed on our fixtures page. Clark's decision to integrate new signing Deeming quickly showed a desire to improve options immediately. The manager's three changes demonstrated a willingness to adapt his selection based on form and availability.
Hartlepool United's next scheduled match after facing Woking was another National League fixture the following weekend.
