SCUNTHORPE United are now the team all lower league clubs aspire to and Hartlepool United tonight get the chance to pit themselves against the Championship's newest club.

Pools go to Glanford Park in the Carling Cup, aiming to repeat last season's first round success in the competition when they won at Burnley.

Joel Porter scored the winner at Turf Moor and the striker is in contention for a start tonight, on the back of Saturday's substitute outing in the 2-1 loss at Luton.

And while The Iron have progressed from League Two to the Championship, it's a path Pools hope to follow.

"I think that the club (Pools) has progressed a lot over the last 10 years and we are definitely a League One club now, maybe even a Championship club if we can get there,'' admitted Porter.

"I think the step down to League Two was a step backwards but we have got over that now and hopefully we are back in League One to stay.

"We played a couple of Championship sides last season and did quite well.

"We knocked Burnley out and they were on a good run at that stage so it is another tough ask but you never know with cup ties.

"We seem to have a pretty good knack against higher teams in the first couple of rounds.''

Pools played some tidy football on Saturday without getting the reward for it and Porter admitted: "Our style of play, passing the ball, seems to be suited to the higher grade teams because they like to get to down as well.

"It is fair to say that we play better against the better teams.

"You look at Scunthorpe and they are a side which everyone at our level aspires to.

"They were in League Two not so long ago and now they are in the Championship.

"Good luck to them and hopefully they can do what Colchester did last season.

"This game on Tuesday will be tough but it will be a good yard stick to see where we are and we are looking forward to it.

"I think the defenders at this level are a bit smarter and they don't have to kick you as much to stop you.

"As a striker it is something to look forward to as you don't get kicked quite as much as you do in League Two."