HARTLEPOOL UNITED will be treating this evening’s game at Darlington with the same outlook they have with other Durham Challenge Cup outings.

Richard Money won’t take the team, instead Ian McGuckin, the club’s head of academy, is likely to be in charge at Blackwell Meadows.

The manager will watch the game, but the team will consist of youth teamers, squad players and those coming back from injury in an all-ticket game for which Pools have sold little over 100 tickets, which remain on sale at the Super 6 Stadium until 3.30pm today.

“Our coaching staff will look after the game, I can sit upstairs and see a different view – and the staff here are more than capable of taking the team.

“We will play as many senior players as I think is appropriate. Not fudging that at all, but getting two or three in for last weekend means it will alter the make-up of Tuesday’s team.

“We have players coming back – Connor Newton has trained and Lewis Hawkins is still here. So I said as before, I’m mindful of the significance of the game and, to be truthfully honest, it’s a game we could do without now.’’

In attempting to add some significance to the rather irrelevant game, Money added: “I’m mindful of the importance of who we are playing against and supporters can be assured we will put a team out there they can be proud of.’’

There is the possibility of a couple of players who have been first-teamers this season being given a run-out.

He added: “We have a small squad here, limited in numbers. I’m not concerned about playing someone in the game who has been playing regularly, I just make a call on if they need the game or not.

“We are still sort of coming through the Christmas period when some did play four games, so we won’t risk someone who has done that, but we mixed it up a little bit.

“Paddy McLaughlin, for example, who hasn’t played all the games over Christmas, even if he played Saturday then he could play Tuesday.’’

McLaughlin was left out of the 16 on duty at Harrogate so is likely to start.

Of his injured players, Money added: “We only have Noble sidelined, who will probably be a month. Luke Williams was on the grass jogging last Wednesday. You can make your own conclusions on how soon you think he will be back. I know he will not be back in the short term.’’

Pools were well beaten at Harrogate on Saturday, with Money suffering his third successive defeat.

They face bottom-placed Braintree at the Super 6 Stadium on Saturday, Money desperate for an upturn in performances.

He said: “Training ground work is something on-going and I think we are always behind the eight-ball if you come into a club after pre-season.

“In no way am I saying that what has been done hasn’t been the right work, but I don’t know what’s been done.

“That’s when you put principles in place and one person is different to another. The important thing is not doing too much too quickly, but still seeing progress.

“It’s about a lot of things – tactics, formation, confidence and the latter is the most important. Experience has told me that when you play the game back it’s never as good as you think it was and never as bad as you think it was.’’