LIFE for Hartlepool United in the Vanarama National League will kick-off with a home date against Dover Athletic at Victoria Park.

Pools have been handed the testing opener on Saturday, August 5 against a Dover side which narrowly missed out on a play-off place last season.

Craig Harrison, the new Hartlepool boss, will then take his team into back-to-back away dates against Macclesfield and Maidenhead United before Chester travel to the North-East on August 15.

Hartlepool will play seven matches in the opening month of the campaign when Harrison will look to get his reign up and running by proving they can be promotion contenders after relegation.

A couple of stand-out fixtures for Hartlepool will be the Boxing Day trip to North-East neighbours on Boxing Day, with the Heed returning to Victoria Park on New Year’s Day.

Hartlepool will bring the curtain down on their first season outside of the Football League with a trip to Tranmere on April 28 in what is already being billed as a battle between two of the promotion favourites.


HARTLEPOOL UNITED FIXTURES 2017-18


Sat Aug 5 Dover Athletic (h)

Tue Aug 8 Macclesfield Town (a)

Sat Aug 12 Maidenhead United (a)

Tue Aug 15 Chester (h)

Sat Aug 19 Bromley (a)

Sat Aug 26 AFC Fylde (h)

Mon Aug 28 Guiseley A

Sat Sep 2 Maidstone United (h)

Sat Sep 9 Dagenham and Redbridge (h)

Tue Sep 12 Wrexham (a)

Sat Sep 16 Leyton Orient (a) (Emirates FA Cup 2Q)

Sat Sep 23 Eastleigh (h)

Sat Sep 30 Woking A (Emirates FA Cup 3Q)

Tue Oct 3 Barrow (h)

Sat Oct 7 Solihull Moors A

Sat Oct 14 Emirates FA Cup 4Q

Sat Oct 21 Sutton United (h)

Tue Oct 24 Tranmere Rovers (h)

Sat Oct 28 Torquay United (a)

Sat Nov 4 Emirates FA Cup 1

Sat Nov 11 Boreham Wood (a)

Sat Nov 18 Aldershot Town (h)

Tue Nov 21 FC Halifax Town (h)

Sat Nov 25 Ebbsfleet United (a) (Buildbase FA Trophy Q3)

Sat Dec 2 Macclesfield Town (h) (Emirates FA Cup 2)

Sat Dec 9 Dover Athletic (a)

Sat Dec 16 Buildbase FA Trophy 1

Sat Dec 23 Maidenhead United (h)

Tue Dec 26 Gateshead (a)

Sat Dec 30 Chester (a)

Mon Jan 1 Gateshead (h)

Sat Jan 6 Dagenham and Redbridge (a) (Emirates FA Cup 3)

Sat Jan 13 Buildbase FA Trophy 2

Sat Jan 20 Wrexham (h)

Sat Jan 27 Eastleigh (a) (Emirates FA Cup 4

Sat Feb 3 Leyton Orient (h) (Buildbase FA Trophy 3)

Sat Feb 10 Barrow (a)

Sat Feb 17 Woking (h) (Emirates FA Cup 5)

Tue Feb 20 FC Halifax Town (a)

Sat Feb 24 Ebbsfleet United (h) (Buildbase FA Trophy 4

Sat Mar 3 Aldershot Town (a)

Sat Mar 10 Boreham Wood (h)

Sat Mar 17 AFC Fylde (a) (Emirates FA Cup/Buildbase FA Trophy SF)

Sat Mar 24 Bromley (h) (Buildbase FA Trophy SF)

Fri Mar 30 Maidstone United (a)

Mon Apr 2 Guiseley (h)

Sat Apr 7 Solihull Moors (h)

Sat Apr 14 Sutton United (a)

Sat Apr 21 Torquay United (h) (Emirates FA Cup SF)

Sat Apr 28 Tranmere Rovers (a)

Wed May 2 Play-Off Qualifying Round

Sun May 6 Play-Off Semi-Final

Sat May 12 Play-Off Final

Sat May 19 Emirates FA Cup Final

Sun May 20 Buildbase FA Trophy Final