Pools Youth Team went down 3-1 at Grimsby Town on Saturday after two late goals secured all three points for the current Youth Alliance League leaders.

Micky Barron's men had only played Town five days earlier in the Youth Alliance Cup, a game that the Mariners won on penalties after the game had ended 0-0.

However, Pools struggled to find the same form that saw them match Grimsby last Monday and the hosts were on top during the opening forty-five minutes with a 1-0 lead to show for their efforts at the break.

Barron had some strong words to say to his players during the interval and it seemed to pay off as a much-improved performance in the second half dragged Pools back in to contention.

A brilliant twenty-yard free-kick from Adam Reech left the keeper with no chance to get Pools back on level terms and from then on it looked likely they could go on and win.

However, two quick-fire goals from the table-toppers put paid to the fightback and left Barron disappointed at the final whistle.

"We have to learn to stay in the game and to concede two goals in as many minutes is crazy," he commented.

"Although we didn't seem to get going in the first half I was pleased with the way the lads responded after half time - now we have to find more consistency in our displays."

Full Time: Grimsby Town 3 Pools 1

Pools: Thomas, Quantrill, Purvis, Ellison, Johnson, Sharples, McRoberts (Richards), Liddle, Scaife (Hassan), Wakefield (Mason), Reech.
Subs not used: Mellish, Charlton.