DAVE Challinor has warned his Hartlepool United players to expect the unexpected tomorrow when they face Stevenage in League Two. 

Pools are in action at the Lamex Stadium as they search for their first away win over the season against a side who have won just two games all season. 

Challinor is hopeful of welcoming back Gavan Holohan and David Ferguson to the side after the pair missed the draw with Oldham Athletic last time out through injury. Meanwhile, Gary Liddle has been ruled out for the next two games at least. 

The Pools boss was recently rewarded for his success at the club with a three year contract. Challinor is known for his meticulous detail in the build up to every game and it's a similar scenario this time out as the team head to Stevenage.

“The difference between winning and losing a game is really fine on most occasions" Challinor told BBC Radio Tees Sport. 

“Knowing what to expect, we expect everything.

“We’ve watched at least three different games of theirs. They were really expansive, they played out from the back every time, they played really deep in their own eighteen yard box.

“Take that onto the Forest Green game at home that I watched, they lost 4-0. Played a different shape but Forest Green played well on the day to be fair.

“It’s tough when you go out with a game plan and Forest Green go and score in the first minute and your game plan is thrown out the window, they took at heavy defeat.

“They then go to Harrogate and they didn’t play out from the back once. Whether that was because they were playing against Harrogate and match their systems, the majority of that game was one goalkeeper whacking it long to the other.

“Going to Harrogate is a tough place to go and to get a point, they’ll see it as a massive positive. What they’ll look to do now is bounce back and try to get three points at home.

“We’ve got to expect a reaction from that but in terms of what we face on the day, in terms of philosophy, in terms of shape, it could be anything. So we’ll prepare for every eventuality."

Victory for Pools could lift them as high as second in the League Two table.