Any prize money accrued in going through the early rounds would hopefully give new head coach Pete Wild cash to invest in the squad.
Not that Saturday’s fourth qualifying round tie at Victoria Park is going to be straight forward.
Marine arrive at the Vic both in splendid form and, they hope, armed with a famous name associated with Hartlepool history.
The side, based in Crosby at the north end of Liverpool, have reeled off five wins on the spin in the league and cup.
In the FA Cup, Conor McAleny converted two penalties in a feisty 3-2 home victory over fellow NLN side Radcliffe in the second qualifying round before headed goals by defenders John Wardle and Declan Drysdale accounted for Warrington at the third stage.
Marine have also won their last three NLN games including Saturday’s 1-0 result against Spalding.
They will be keeping their fingers crossed to have George Newell up top, the 29-year-old son of Mike, the man who took Pools into League One in 2003.
George has three goals in the bank already this season, but is undergoing treatment to a calf problem.
“Marine will be coming here trying to prove a point because they are from the league below,” Wild said in an interview with BBC Tees. “They will be wanting to show what they are made of.
“The boot is on the other foot compared to our last game. We’ve now got to be the aggressor and they are coming here as the underdog.
“We’ve got to be ready for that and stand up to it.”
It will be Marine’s second visit to the Vic in the FA Cup, half a century after their first.
After a 1-1 draw at Rossett Park in the original tie, Pools sunk Marine 6-3 in a goal-laden replay in front of a 5,600-plus crowd.
Mally Moore led the way with a hat-trick, along with Kevin Johnson’s penalty and gaols by John Rowlands and Bobby Scaife.
Author: Roy
Author of Sports Life and all sports articles.