Pools' pre season got off to an entertaining start in Holland tonight as they were beaten 3-2 by Dutch Jupiler League side FC Volendam.
It was a lively start by Volendam, whose attacking style caught Pools out early on and they were two goals up inside twelve minutes.
First, left winger Thijs Sluiter escaped the offside trap to fire home from inside the box, and then beanpole striker Michiel Kramer made it two with a header from a right-wing free kick.
It was a setback and Chris Turner's men were struggling to get in to the game, with Volendam doing most of the attacking, though Adam Boyd did flash a header just wide of goal after a good delivery from the right.
Antony Sweeney also came close when he prodded wide from close range after a goalmouth scramble, while the lively Michael Mackay saw his chipped shot saved by the keeper.
Ritchie Jones came closest as Pools grew in confidence towards the break, but his long-range effort was tipped on to the bar and over by the in-form Volendam stopper.
There was even time for Mackay to hit a post after being cleverly played through by Boyd and there were signs that Pools could definitely get back in to the game.
However, those hopes suffered a setback early after the restart when Sluiter again broke through and produced a calm finish under the helpless Scott Flinders.
The game seemed to be up but, true to style, Pools began to stage an unlikely comeback and pushed the Dutch outfit on to the back foot, especially after Volendam were reduced to ten men for an off the ball incident.
Jones incisive ball through to Sweeney found the midfielder in space but he cleverly evaded the defender on the edge of the box and curled a great effort in to the top corner to make it 3-1.
Mackay made it 3-2 when he wriggled clear on the edge of the box and his shot was enough to beat the keeper who should have held it.
But it wasn't enough and Pools succumbed to defeat despite Neil Austin's late effort clipping the cross bar via the finger tips of the goalkeeper.
Full Time: FC Volendam 2 Pools 3
