REVENGE is in the air tonight for Hartlepool United midfielder Mark Tinkler.

Pool go to Feethams for the final time before Darlington move to their new stadium aiming to claw back some pride after losing at Victoria Park in the first encounter between the sides this season.

Quakers won 2-1 on August 25 after Tinkler headed Pool in front after 15 minutes.

Pool went down by a single goal at York on Saturday, a result that brought Pool's first defeat in five games and the influential midfielder admitted: "We still go to Darlington full of confidence, but we know we need a better performance than Saturday. It will be another difficult game, hard working and physical and we know all about them.

"We went there last season and should have won by a few, but Andy Collett had a great game.

"We owe them one from this season. It was very disappointing to lose to them at home. They are one-up on us this season and we want to get something back.''

Tinkler added: "Saturday was very frustrating, coming on the back of a good win at Bristol Rovers. We went to York looking to win and we had the chances to do it - and a lot of them as well.

"The game was there to be won in the first-half and it was important that we scored the first goal.

"It was a tight game with not much space in midfield and it will probably be the same against Darlington. But we still got behind them and got into the penalty area.

"I hit the post - they nearly always go in like that - and when it happens you just think it's not going to be your day.

"Instead, they got the goal and it was so disappointing to concede a goal like that. Now we have to put that behind us and get the points..''

Manager Chris Turner last night hinted he could bring in a couple of fresh faces. The Pool boss, who led his side to success at Bristol Rovers a week ago when they changed to three at the back, has the option of doing the same this evening.

He admitted: "There may be a couple of changes, tactical ones."

Despite the defeat at York, Turner insists the mood in the camp is still buoyant.

But, while the players are confident of a good result at Feethams, Turner insisted: "They deserved to beat us on the day, but that was in the early part of the season.

"We have been a lot better over the past three months and I feel that our players should go into the game confident.

"We are not talking about revenge - they deserved to win that day and we are hoping to deserve to win this time.

"Derby games always get everybody's attention and this one will be no different. If we win it will give all the lads and the town a lift, so it would be nice to win. But it's the same for Darlington."

The clash sees former Pool winger Ian Clark take on his old club for the first time since his £15,000 move in November.

And Turner, who replaced the Stockton-born Clark in his squad with in-form Paul Smith, expects the 27-year-old to be aiming to put one over his old employers.

"Ex-players always have a point to prove and I'm sure Clark will," said Turner. "Ian always gave 100 per cent when he played for us and I'm sure he will for Darlington.

"We did not force him out and we felt that we had to accept the bid for him."

* The game is not all-ticket for home fans and supporters will be able to pay at the gate with Quakers expecting a crowd of around 5,000. Pool have around 200 of their allocated 2,000 tickets remaining and they are on sale at the Pool club shop until noon.

Pool (from): Williams, Barron, Lee, Westwood, Robinson, Smith, Humphreys, Tinkler, Coppinger, Boyd, Henderson, Hollund, Easter, Stephenson, Arnison, Clarke.

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