Club Historian and Patron Phil Yelland casts his eye back over Barrow AFCs previous meeting with this weekend's visitors to SO Legal Stadium.

"Saturday sees us meet Hartlepool United for the 94th time in three different competitions – Football League, National League and FA Cup.

Before last season's thrilling 3-2 encounter, Pools’ last visit was in September 2019 in the National League, where a late Ryan Donaldson goal gave them the points as we slipped into the bottom four in the table.

"Little did we know the run that Ian Evatt’s team was to go on following that, as we lost just three more league games before the season concluded in March and we were crowned as National League champions on points per game.

The Mail: Phil Yelland at Barrow AFCPhil Yelland at Barrow AFC (Image: Newsquest)

The first meeting between the clubs here took place on the final day of our first season in Division Three North in May 1922 when United won 1-0. Indeed, we had to wait until their seventh visit to Holker Street in April 1928 before recording a first home win with Willie Miller and Jacob Parsons scoring in a 2-1 win.

"We have suffered some heavy defeats at Hartlepool down the years, including our record Football League defeat – 10-1 in April 1959. Our biggest home win over them came in April 1962 when we triumphed 5-1 – there was a hat-trick for Dave Brown, with other goals coming from Johnny Kemp and Jimmy Armstrong.

"The one FA Cup meeting between the clubs came in December 1958 when we won 2-0 with two goals from Jackie Robertson and that set up the often talked about FA Cup Third Round tie with the champions of the day Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 1959.

"Our last home win over Pools was that 3-2 encounter last season when Offrande Zanzala scored a spectacular opening goal to send the Holker Street faithful wild.

"The scorecard currently reads 25 wins for us, 11 draws and 11 defeats with Pools here at Holker Street.

"Let’s hope we can add to the win tally at the weekend."