Carling Cup Draw - Pools home to Darlo!

Up for it?
By Albatross
June 28 2005

The Carling Cup draw has been made, and it will see Hartlepool United hosting Darlington for the first time in almost three years. The game will take place on 24th August at Victoria Park, and is sure to fire the imagination of both sets of fans.

So after a couple of seasons without a derby game, the Carling Cup will provide the first competitive meeting between the clubs since Pools drew 2-2 with Darlington at Feethams during our promotion season. With Pools being seeded in the regionalised draw the chances of this tie coming out were dramatically increased - and now there will be the chance for one side or the other to beat the old enemy again.

There's plenty of bluster coming out from the Darlo fans already, with of course the obligatory references to their stadium, although what position it is going to play remains unclear. Some Loids seem less than impressed with the draw though - the reality is that they have to play away to a side that's spent two seasons at the top end of the division above them and they know it's far from an easy draw. The old cliche is of course though that form and position go out of the window when it comes to a cup tie.

In a lot of ways I'm very pleased with the draw, and no doubt so will the Pools board. Early-season cup ties aren't always big draws - last season's game with Macclesfield didn't even bring 3,000 through the turnstiles - but the added spice of playing our local rivals for the first time in two and a half years should ensure a bigger turnout. Meanwhile Pools will certainly fancy their chances.