Ahead of a huge week for the club, Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor says they're plan for finishing fourth in the National League has taken effect.

Pools will face Bromley on Sunday at Victoria Park with hopes of making it through to the National League play-off semi finals where they'll face Stockport County in the last four. 

"The week obviously changes with the game taking place on Sunday. 

"We'll be back in Tuesday and Wednesday to train, off Thursday and train Friday and Saturday. 

"I'm definitely sure that on Saturday afternoon we'll watch the play-off game that takes place before ours.

"Ultimately it's about Sunday. It's all about leading into that.

"We'll have to make changes in terms of who's training, what training we need to do, how much we need to do.

"We know everything about Bromley and they know everything about us so there won't be a huge load of surprises. 

"We'll go into the game full of confidence and looking to win."

After the 4-0 win over Weymouth at the weekend, the Pools boss provided an update on the fitness of the squad. 

Luke Armstrong missed the game through illness but Challinor made it clear that substituting off the likes of Jamie Sterry, Rhys Oates and Gary Liddle was a precautionary move. 

"Luke's got man flu!" Challinor joked.

"He didn't have a great night for sleep and was very feverish.

"We knew nothing of it overnight, he trained fine, looked bright and would've started the game for us. 

"We get the message on the morning so from our perspective, it's a case of getting him COVID tested. We did and he was negative.

"Hopefully it will be a 24 or 48 hour thing that he'll get over and be back training on Tuesday."

"In terms of where we are at, we wish we had the luxury of making five changes. If that was the case then we probably would've made them. 

"It's important that you have to protect and wrap in cotton wool players that are going to be important for you moving forward."

Harvey Saunders continues to recover from a knee problem and he will be monitered by the Pools medical staff after a scan determined he wasn't fit enough to play against Weymouth. 

Luke Williams was missing from the matchday squad after he suffering an injury in the defeat to Sutton United and he will be assessed before Sunday's play-off game.

"He got a whack on the hip so he hasn't trained all week" said Challinor. 

"It's a bit of a contact injury more than anything else, we'll see how is this week."