HARTLEPOOL United are in the midst of preparing for their National League play-off final against Torquay United. 

Pools will battle the Gulls for a place in the Football League at Ashton Gate in Bristol. Fans having been queuing overnight at Victoria Park to get their hands on a ticket with an expected allocation of 3,100. 

As both sides do their respective homework on each other, let us look back on how history reflects on the previous meetings between these two sides...

TORQUAY UNITED 0-1 HARTLEPOOL UNITED (Sat 6th March 2021)

This was a huge game at Plainmoor in the race for promotion and Pools came out on top through Luke Molyneux's 12th minute strike. 

Luke Armstrong fed the ball through the heart of the defence to Molyneux who slid the ball under the goalkeeper. It was a hard fought win down in Devon as they went on to seal the points and maintain an unbeaten record of five matches. 

It certainly felt like a game that would swing the momentum of the promotion race Pools way if they were on the right side of the result.

They moved level on points with the Gulls and Sutton United at the top of the National League table but the teams around them had games in hands on them.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0-5 TORQUAY UNITED (Sat 31st October 2020)

It truly turned out to be a Halloween nightmare at Victoria Park for Pools as Gary Johnson's men well and truly gave them a night to forget. 

Pools were 3-0 down by half-time after some calamitous defending including a howler from goalkeeper Ben Killip to gift them a goal. 

Danny Wright completed his hat-trick on the night with further goals from Ben Whitfield and Garry Warren. It's just a good thing there were no fans in the ground but the game was broadcasted live on BT Sport. 

Wright has 11 goals to his name this season due to the fact he's missed a big chunk of the season and Pools will want to watch out for him on Sunday. 

TORQUAY UNITED 1-2 HARTLEPOOL UNITED (Sat 31st Aug 2019)

The result represented a hard fought win in Devon as Pools took the spoils in on the season's opening fixtures. 

Jason Kennedy put Craig Hignett's side in front with a header from close range but Jamie Reid curled a delicious effort into the top corner in the second half. 

Ten minutes from time, Peter Kioso broke free on the right hand side a let rip a venomous shot into the left hand corner and slid on his knees in front of the home supporters. 

The win lifted Pools up to 9th in the National League table. The season eventually came to an end due to the pandemic in March. 

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 1-1 TORQUAY UNITED (Sat 21st April 2018)

Pools condemned Torquay to relegation to the National League South with this result at Victoria Park. 

The Gulls had faint hopes of survival going into the game with two games remaining but they needed to win to stay and hope other results go their way.

Ryan Donaldson handed Pools the lead within 15 minutes of the first half through a deflected effort from the edge of the box. 

Aaron Cunningham, who had come on for his professional debut after 65 minutes, was sent off 16 minutes later for Hartlepool and the Gulls levelled straight away as Rhys Healey rifled home from 12 yards.

TORQUAY UNITED 0-2 HARTLEPOOL UNITED (Sat 29th October 2017)

Pools main man at this moment in time Rhys Oates was a goalscorer in this game alongside former winger Jonathan Franks. 

In their first season in the National League, Pools were finding their feet after a difficult start to the campaign. 

Oates was on the receiving end of a powerful cross from Blair Adams as he powered his header int the top left hand corner. 

Franks put the icing one the cake with a long range deflected shot to earn a result that kick started a run of form in the league under Craig Harrison.