Pools Youth Team went down 2-1 to Doncaster Rovers at the weekend despite matching their visitors for long periods of the game.

Daryl Scaife did well to find some space to cross for James Decosemo but the home keeper did well to prevent the young striker's effort from finding the net.

Against the run of play, Pools fell behind when the referee pointed to the spot following a foul by goalkeeper Grant Herbert and the penalty was tucked away well.

Pools responded well though and the dangerous Jak Quantrill was causing all kinds of problems down the right wing, firing a couple of efforts just wide of the target.

Barron's youngsters upped the tempo at the start of the second half and they got their reward when Gary McRoberts incisive through ball set Daryl Scaife through to level the scores.

Callum Martin and Quantrill were both then well denied by the Rovers keeper before Gary McRoberts fired an effort just wide.

However, just as Pools looked set to go on and win the game, Rovers again counter-attacked effectively and scored the winning goal.

Anthony Wakefield had a half chance to rescue a point late on but, after showing good strength to find the opening, he curled his shot just wide of the post.

"I thought it was quite an evenly-matched game and one we were unlucky to lose," Barron told us afterwards.

"It looked like we would take the points the way we were playing in the second half but their second goal really knocked the wind out of us," he added.

Full Time: Doncaster Rovers 2 Pools 1

Pools: Herbert, Quantrill, Purvis, Ellison, Johnson, Sharples, McRoberts (Wakefield), Decosemo (Martin), Scaife, Liddle, Mason (Blackford).
Subs not used: Charlton, Mellish.