Morecambe come into this with plenty of goal action around them, even if the results have been uneven. Their last six league games have produced four matches with at least three goals, including a 3-2 defeat at Yeovil last Saturday and a 4-4 draw at Gateshead, while their recent home games have also been open enough to keep the over in play.

Hartlepool are less chaotic, but their away numbers still lean toward a decent chance of goals. They have scored and conceded 21 on the road in league play, which is exactly the sort of balance that can turn a tight-looking fixture into one where both teams contribute. Their 1-0 win over Eastleigh was controlled, yet the 3-4 victory at Solihull and the 3-1 win over Carlisle show they are capable of being involved in higher-scoring contests.

Morecambe’s home record adds to the case for a three-goal game rather than a cautious one. They have shipped 36 goals in 19 league matches at home, and their season total of 81 conceded underlines how often matches involving them get stretched. Hartlepool’s away scoring output is not explosive, but it is enough to work with against a Morecambe side that has struggled to keep games tight.

There is also some useful head-to-head support for goals, with five of the last seven meetings seeing both teams score. That does not guarantee an over on its own, and the most recent meeting finished 1-1, so there is some tension with the line, but the overall pattern still points to a game where chances should arrive at both ends.

My prediction is Over 2.5 Goals at 67/100. Morecambe have been involved in several high-scoring league games recently, Hartlepool’s away record has produced 21 goals for and 21 against, and both clubs arrive with enough scoring threat to push the total beyond two. The head-to-head record also leans toward open games, and the 1.67 price still looks fair for that profile.