Hartlepool v Walsall

Hartlepool v Walsall

Victoria Park

Kick off 3pm

Boss Richard Money believes there will be more than three points stake when Walsall face Hartlepool tomorrow - they'll also be putting their League Two title on the line.

The Saddlers pipped Danny Wilson's men to the championship on the final day of last season, with a point at Swindon enough for Money's men to win the trophy at the expense of Pools, who lost at home to Bristol Rovers.

But while Walsall have struggled to adapt to life in League One, Hartlepool have taken to it like a duck to water, going into the weekend in third place after taking 13 points from their first seven games.

And Money reckons that will make Hartlepool all the more determined to rub salt into the rock-bottom Saddlers' gaping wounds by putting one over them at Victoria Park.

"They have made a good start and I know that they are still smarting from the fact that they feel we pinched the title off them," said Money.

"We don't think that of course because we were there all year. But they're still smarting and that will give the game an added edge.

"We're preparing as best we can for a big performance at the weekend.

"Football shows, as we did at Millwall, that you can get your big results when you least expect it. That's what we've got to try and do this weekend."

Pools boss Wilson agrees that his side could well be fired up by the prospect of revenge, even if it's not something he will be including in his pre-match pep talk.

"Of course we would have loved to have won the title last season," Wilson confessed.

"Towards the end of last season a few things like injuries and suspensions caught up with us after we had a terrific run. We can't change things but credit to Walsall, they had a magnificent season.

"We are all looking forward now, not back, and everyone is determined to get three points.

"If we can get a win on the board it would put us in a good position going into the Carlisle match on Tuesday.

"If some of the lads are motivated by what happened last season and they use that to a positive effect, then great, we will welcome everything that helps get us the victory we want."

Money is looking for a reaction from his players after their mini revival came to a shuddering halt when they were thumped 3-0 by Oldham last Saturday.

And the Saddlers boss reckons they might benefit from the fixture being away from home.

"If I hadn't seen some kind of reaction in training this week then we would all be worried," said Money.

"Let's wait and see what happens on Saturday, that's the best way to approach it.

"I'm not going to say we're going to do this or that but it's a big game for us. I think our best three performances have been away.

"We've had a problem at home and I think there has been a lack of confidence, a lack of trust and some negativity about what has happened here this summer.

"It's made it difficult for the players to play here. But away from home they have played with much more freedom and we could have won all three away games quite easily."

The progress of both sides since promotion can be gauged by how they've fared against the same opponents so far.

While Walsall have lost to Leyton Orient and Oldham and drawn with Port Vale, Pools have beaten all three.

But Money isn't reading too much into those results as Walsall bid to drag themselves back off the bottom of the table.

"Matches are sometimes defined by small details," said Money.

"Hartlepool have come into this season and probably won games that we've lost. If we'd won at Leyton Orient, which we should have done, then the mentality is different, everybody is happier and the confidence is much higher and you're off and running.

"The dressing room is positive - and there are still 39 games to go."

Dangerman Former Burnley and Leeds forward Ian Moore has settled quickly into life at Victoria Park, scoring four goals in his last five games.