Hartlepool United U21 2 v Mansfield Town U21 1 - PSF

Tuesday 30th August 2016
at Maiden Castle, Durham
Hartlepool United U21 (1) 2
Liam Travis 42, 77
Mansfield Town U21 (0) 1
Ashanti Pryce 60
Photo gallery from today's game HERE

A serious road traffic accident on the A1 northbound caused major delays and the Stags finally arrived at Maiden Castle for their final pre-season warm up game, after a arduous five hour coach journey.
The game itself eventually got underway 70 minutes late.
Both sides fielded mixed sides, containing Under 21 and Under 18 squad players, as the game kicked off on a very warm afternoon in County Durham.
The first half was fairly evenly matched as both sides weighed each other up and there was very little to talk of in the way of goalmouth action as the heat dictated the tempo of the game.

But there was a flurry of activity just before the break, that saw the home side take the lead on 42, when Liam Travis ran onto a through ball and opened the scoring for 'Pools' with a well placed finish from ten yards out, while Cain Smith crashed a twenty five yard shot against the underside of the crossbar less than a minute later, but apparently the whole of the ball hadn't crossed the goal line as as the home side cleared their lines.
The second half was far more eventful with Tom Marriott going close when he curled a shot against the left hand post after exchanging passes with Smith just outside the home sides penalty area.
Ashanti Pryce dropped a cross in towards Tyler Blake and Smith, but the bounce of the ball evaded them both and the latter knocked the ball narrowly wide as he struggled to get any power behind his effort.

He never touched him ref... honest!

The Stags were on level terms on the hour, when Blake was tripped and the referee blew up for a penalty. Blake dusted himself down and powered the spot kick towards the bottom left hand corner, but United's keeper got down well to turn it away, however Pryce had instinctively followed the ball in and netted into the right hand corner from the rebound.
Liam Travis put the home side back in front on 77 minutes when he diverted a left wing cross over the line from twelve yards.

In a lively finale to the game the Stags almost drew level when Kieran Harrison shot narrowly over the bar and Pryce saw his effort deflected wide after some goodbuild up play between Henri wilder and Louis Danquah. And right at the end Drew Ricketts made himself a yard of space but drilled the ball wide of the left hand post.
FT: Hartlepool United U21 2 v Mansfield Town U21 1
Next Tuesday afternoon (2pm) the Stags U21 side start their Central League campaign with an away game against Rotherham United, which will take place at the Roundwood Sports Complex, which is also the home of Parkgate FC.
If you wish to travel to this game the address details are: Green Lane, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, S62 6LA.

Beyond the call of duty special mention to Danny Bloor, who travelled all the way from Brighton to watch his son Teddy in action on the occasion of his 17th birthday. Happy birthday Teddy.