Pools’ pre season campaign came to an end at The Vic this evening, with Premier League opponents Newcastle United winning in comfortable style.
Three goals in the first half and two after the break earned victory for a strong Newcastle outfit, with Antony Sweeney finding Pools’ only reply.
The visitors were on top right from the off this evening, bagging two quick-fire goals inside the first four minutes of the game.
With just 2 minutes on the clock, Romain Amalfitano burst down the right wing to send a dangerous ball into the box and the dominant Shola Ameobi arrived to slot home with ease.
Less than two minutes later and it was 2-0; Ameobi picked up the ball to the left of the area, enticing Flinders right out of his area before putting a ball across the face of goal where Sylvain Marveaux was allowed to hit home from close range.
Although there was a hint of offside over the goals, Newcastle were well on top and looked a threat with every attack.
With nine minutes on the clock, Dan Gosling had the ball in the back of the net again – though this time the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
On 12 minutes though, it was 3-0 and Pools were being worked hard; when Ameobi was given space inside the box, Flinders went in to challenge only to concede a spot kick. Marveaux stepped up to take it and smashed the ball home for Newcastle’s third.
Simon Walton had Pools’ first half chance of the game when he blasted an effort from outside the box but the ball found its way straight into the arms of Steve Harper.
While the sting came out of the visitor’s game for the remainder of the first half, they looked strong with every attack and Pools struggled for any meaningful possession.
Flinders saved well from Marveaux and then reacted quickly to keep a Peter Hartley interception from finding the back of his own net.
Steve Harper had a couple of saves to make of his own, collecting shots from Monkhouse and then Luke James but Newcastle took a three-goal lead into the break.
Flinders started the second half back in action as he blocked well from sub Haris Vuckic. But Vuckic was soon back causing problems inside the area and struck home on 53 minutes to make it 4-0.
Pools hit back shortly after when good work by Luke James won a free kick which Neil Austin lifted into the area. Antony Sweeney met it from close range and hit it past Harper to make it 4-1.
Cooper’s men dug in and looked more likely in the second half, enjoying more possession in the right half of the pitch.
But it was Newcastle who wrapped up the scoring, with Gabriel Obertan hitting an effort from the edge of the area to make it 5-1.
Pools 1 Newcastle United 5
Att: 4802 (2503)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Baldwin, Hartley, Horwood (Holden 46), Franks (Wignall 85), Sweeney, Walton (Murray 66), Monkhouse (Luscombe 75), James (Poole 75), Howard
Subs Not Used: Holden, Wignall, Tuck
Newcastle United: Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Williamson, Perch (R Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), S Taylor (Vuckic 46), Tavernier, Bigirimana (Abeid 59)