Pools were beaten 2-0 by Gateshead in their opening game of the Totesport.com Cup after former Carlisle United man Brian Wake scored at goal in both halves in the match at Billingham Town.

The game started in dramatic fashion young keeper Liam Mooney upended Jon Shaw in the box but the Gateshead man saw his spot kick come back off the post.

The visitors made the early running and John Allan and Josh Gillies both came close to opening the scoring, while at the other end Michael Mackay won the race with ex Pools keeper Mark Cook but saw his effort cleared off the line by a recovering defender.

With 24 minutes on the clock, Gateshead took the lead when Alex Francis' long throw evaded everyone in the box and Wake had time to volley in at the far post.

Billy Blackford scuffed a shot which was saved by Cook and Fabian Yantorno also drew a save from the visiting keeper.

Mark Cook also denied Colin Larkin, whose drilled effort rebounded up in the air and was cleared off the line by James Curtis.

Wake mis-kicked his shot early in the second half when he should have made it 2-0 before Jon-Andre Fredriksen's freekick missed everyone and almost curled in at the far post.

Fredriksen was denied again by Cook before Wake made it 2-0 to Gateshead when he twisted into space and curled a shot beyond Mooney.

And Wake could have had a hat-trick when he ran through the middle but he was denied by a fine finger-tip save by keeper Mooney.

A disappointing result for Pools who didn't really press their advantage in the final third.

Full Time: Pools 0 Gateshead 2

Pools: Mooney, Blackford, Bjornsson, Johnson, Hartley (Purvis 75), Humphreys (Richards 65), McSweeney, Larkin, Fredriksen, Mackay, Yantorno (Greulich 56).
Subs: Martin, Snaith.

Gateshead: Cook, Francis, Brown, Ferrell, Curtis (Scott 65), Gilbert, Wake, Baptist, Shaw (Briggs 46), Allan (Wakefield 46), Gillies
Subs: Bogie, Nelthorpe