SAINTS’ trip to Hartlepool this weekend is hanging in the balance – but it may be no bad thing for Nigel Adkins if it is called off.

The North East has been battered by snow and freezing temperatures, with little improvement expected before Saturday.

Hartlepool’s FA Cup game against Yeovil last weekend had to be postponed at late notice, as the club was unable to clear their Victoria Park pitch.

And ex-Saint Mick Wadsworth’s men have been forced indoors this week, with their training facilities unusable.

Pools remain hopeful the game will go ahead, but conceded yesterday that conditions are not good.

If it is called off, Saints would have some reason to feel a sense of relief.

Saturday’s 3-0 FA Cup win against Cheltenham came at a cost, as Rickie Lambert, Frazer Richardson and Lee Holmes all left St Mary’s with injuries.

And with Lee Barnard nursing a problem, an extra week of recovery could do some good.

A postponement would also mean centre half Jose Fonte serving his one-game ban for the visit of Brentford to St Mary’s on December 11, instead of this Saturday.

With Saints’ supreme home form under Adkins, that may be the preferable option.

The major downside would be the match being rescheduled for a midweek date.

Reaching the third round of the FA Cup has already meant that the January 8 visit to Oldham will have to be switched.

And Saints – not to mention their supporters – won’t want to face too many long midweek trips in the second half of the season.

Hartlepool remain cautiously optimistic that the game will get a green light on Saturday, though.

A club spokesman said: “Conditions are not great here at the moment, but we’re working hard on the pitch and, at the moment, we are hopeful that the game will go ahead.

“We will be looking to update people as soon as possible should this change.”

For full story don't miss today's Daily Echo.