Pools Youth Team extended their unbeaten run to four games after an eventful 2-2 draw with Bradford City at Chester-le-Street on Saturday morning.
Micky Barron's squad has been decimated by injuries but his patched-up side showed great character to come from two goals down to secure a point on home turf.
Pools could have taken the lead on six minutes but Anthony Wakefield saw his header flash wide after good work from Daniel Johnson.
And minutes later they were made to pay as Bradford stormed forward and took advantage of some hesitant defending to score the first goal of the game.
Lee Mason was denied by a good save from the keeper after being released on goal by Chay Liddle's incisive pass, while Daniel Johnson shot just wide of the target.
Pools had strong appeals for a penalty waved away when Wakefield was upended in the box and the youngsters felt further down on their luck when Mason did put the ball in the net only for the offside flag to deny them the equaliser.
City were then awarded a penalty of their own in dubious circumstances but thankfully for Pools they didn't take advantage, missing from the spot.
The second half began badly for Barron's men though as the Bantams doubled their lead despite strong appeals for offside.
Pools reacted well though and could have pulled one back quickly when Johnson fired wide, but the youngster wasn't to be denied for long and made it 2-1 when he converted Christian Selby's cross.
And it was Selby again who provided the ammunition for the equaliser, this time picking out Mason in space and the striker took it round the keeper to score.
It could even have ended with a Pools win but for a fine save from the Bradford keeper to turn away Billy Blackford's fierce drive late on.
"I was pleased with the fighting spirit I saw out there," Barron admitted.
"The draw was probably the fairest result in the end I think, but overall I was extremely proud of the way the players stuck at it despite the setback of going two goals down," he added.
Full Time: Pools 2 Bradford City 2
Pools: Herbert, Purvis, Dukes, Selby (Strafford), Sharples, Marron, Blackford, Liddle, Wakefield, Mason (Dodds), D Johnson.
Subs not used: Ruddy, Marshall, Johnstone.
