HARTLEPOOL United, the club with the best home record in the league, come up against Northampton tomorrow, a team that has lost just once on the road this season in seven games. 

Pools have won four and lost one of their five home games at Victoria Park while Northampton have won two, drawn two and lost one away from home this season. 

Dave Challinor and his players have turned Victoria Park into a fortress during the calendar year in a run that has seen 18 wins from 21 on home soil. 

Crowd of over 5,000 fans have backed the team this season with all of Pools opponents falling victim to a hostile atmosphere at the Vic. But the Pools boss knows they'll have to be at their best to beat a side who sit one point above them in the league table. 

Challinor said: "The league table is pretty tight right the way through. From our perspective, it's another good opportunity to get three points.

"We've still got a good record at The Vic, take away the point last time against Exeter which I maintain was a good point.

"It's another tough game for us but it's one where we know the team coming up against us will be expecting a tough game.

"I'm sure the place will be bouncing again and it's an opportunity for us to perform against a side with only a point between us and a chance to jump above them. 

"Going into it, we expect different scenarios from the game in terms of shape, in terms of they've played differently at home compared with away and we'll see whether that's the case or not.

"We've got to look after ourselves and we know if we produce the best part of us then we've got a good chance of winning."

Pools will come up against a familiar face tomorrow with former Pools striker Nicke Kabamba expected to be in the squad. In his one year at the club, he made 48 appearances and scored 14 goals. 

He's featured 13 times this season since moving to Northampton from Kilmarnock in the summer but has failed to find the net this season. Challinor knows what to expect as he aims to stop the 28-year-old from haunting his old team. 

Challinor added: "Nicke was great when he was here. Really really good lad. Still really good mates with all the ones that were in the house.

"Obviously went up to Scotland and things didn’t quite work out for him but in the long term and the grand scheme of things, he’s gone from leaving here as a National League player and got himself an opportunity back down south in the Football League.

"He’s been in and out. They’ve tended to change their shape a little bit when they’ve been away from home, they’ve tended to play with one striker and when they’ve been at home, they’ve played with two.

"We’ll see whether he starts the game or impacts the game but when he was here and still is a really good lad and one that I’m looking forward to saying hello to but hopefully he goes home with a sad face."