Blyth Spartans shoot for FA Cup shock against Hartlepool United

Victoria Park, home of Hartlepool United. Credit: PA

Blyth Spartans are hoping to cause an upset at their derby against Hartlepool in tonight's FA Cup second-round match, with the help of some inside information.

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League side have several players who started their careers at Pools, including defender Nathan Buddle, who said as soon as the draw came out the texts and calls from former teammates starting coming in:

Hartlepool are bottom of League Two having won just one of their last eight matches - a 2-0 win against East Thurrock in the last round of the FA Cup.

And Blyth also are at the lower end of their league table, a position that’s improved thanks to recent wins over Ashington and Witton Albion.

The Spartans are set to take 1,250 fans to Victoria Park in a match Chairman Tony Platten says “means everything to Blyth”:

Hartlepool enter the match with several injured players and three others, midfielder Matty Dolan, plus strikers Scott Fenwick and Joe Ironside, cup-tied.

But Manager Paul Murray believes they have can still win:

The match is live on BBC Two from 19:30.