THERE'S no place like home for Hartlepool United this season.

And midfield mainstay Mark Tinkler knows just how important home advantage is for this afternoon's FA Cup tie with Aldershot.

Pool meet the Nationwide Conference side with a place in tomorrow's third-round draw up for grabs.

Last season, Pool came through a tricky second-round tie at Conference side Burton Albion.

Their reward was one of the biggest days in the club's history when almost 10,000 Pool fans travelled to Sunderland's Stadium of Light in round three.

For Sunderland fan Tinkler, the day was one to savour and how he would love a repeat in January 2005.

But first Pool must see off the challenge of Aldershot, a club which collapsed in 1992, going out of business following liquidation, only to reform and work their way through the non-League pyramid. They reached the play-offs for a place in the Football League last season.

At home this season, Pool have dropped only four points from a possible 30.

Add in cup wins over Lincoln, Hull and Macclesfield and Neale Cooper's side have every reason to be confident.

Away from home, one win from 11 in all competitions is a record which needs to be put to bed.

Tinkler admitted: "It's a good job we have been drawn at home in the FA Cup.

"A home tie is all you can ask for and we hope that things carry on at home like they have been.

"We all want to get through and play against a big club in the third round, like we did last season at Sunderland.

"But we know this will be a tough game.

"We played Burton in the second round last season and it was a difficult game.

"In a way you don't know what you are going to get.

"We had to go there and work hard to get a result and it will be the same this year as well.

"Last time at home was a bit lively - I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before.

"It all happened so late, disallowed goal, penalty, then the winner.

"It was a dream finish to the game, the important thing was that we won again.''

Pool were knocked out of one cup competition in midweek when they went down 3-1 at Oldham in the LDV Vans Trophy.

Their Carling Cup run reached round two before an extra-time reverse at Crystal Palace.

But at Oldham, Pool paid the price for a slack start and Tinkler admitted: "It's another away defeat and that's all we seem to be talking about every other week.

"We didn't start well and kept giving the ball away early on. We did pick things up, particularly in the second half, but we couldn't get back into it.

"We started off with a different formation to try to keep it tight, but when you keep losing possession like we did, you aren't going to do anything.

"We've lost a lot of games away from home this season but I don't think it is becoming a mental thing.

"It's not like we are going away and dreading it, or feeling worried.

"We had most of the play for long periods of the game at Oldham and had a few good chances.''

Last Saturday's hero was teenage striker Andy Appleby.

He nabbed the injury-time winner to beat Bournemouth in an incident-packed finale at Victoria Park. After two goals in the reserves in midweek, he took his chance in the first team and, with his scholarship ending this summer, is doing all the right things to stay at Victoria Park.

"It was a bit of a dream to get on and be given a chance - it was even better to score,'' he confessed.

"It was a bit mad at the end when we were chasing the game. I think we ended up with at least four up front but we got the win and that is all that matters.

"When I scored I ran towards my mam, dad and grandad in the Camerons Brewery Stand, and pointed at them.

"I scored two for the reserves last week and then I was given a chance in the first-team. It was nice to be rewarded and I was glad to be on the bench, it was even better when I got on.

"It's good for the young players at this club because the gaffer is always giving the lads a chance.

"I think it shows how well the youth and reserve teams are doing because they are getting an opportunity here. It's my last year as a scholar at the club, so hopefully I can carry on doing the right things to get a chance to stay, get a few more goals and stay in the team.''

l Pool's youth team yesterday drew 3-3 with Scunthorpe. David Manson, Phil Turnbull and Michael Rae were on target.