HARTLEPOOL United suffered their first defeat in pre-season when they were sunk 2-1 by a late Harrogate Town winner.
Pools’ promotion hero Luke Armstrong gave Town the lead midway through the first half, but Anthony Mancini equalised on 54 minutes with a superb shot.
The League Two side had the final word when sub Abraham Odoh netted an excellent winner 10 minutes from time.
Pools looked good in the first half, very bright on the ball, with crisp passing and good movement.
They were almost ahead inside the first two minutes when Brody Paterson played a good ball across the six-yard box, but no-one was there to convert.
New arrival, Charlie Seaman, who joined on loan from Doncaster Rovers, also got forward from right wingback as Pools took a positive approach.
But, for all the promise, it was Town who scored with their first chance and, predictably, it was you know Luke!
Toby Sims put in a terrific delivery from the right which Armstrong converted at the back post, with the ball just about trickling over the line despite a desperate last-ditch lunge by Manny Onariase.
Mancini tried his luck with a 25-yard free-kick which thumped into the advertising board just behind Mark Oxley's left stick.
Pools made two changes for the second half with Matty Dolan replacing Tom Crawford and Chris Wreh taking over from Joe Grey up top.
Dixon was called into action early on with a fine diving save low to his right from a fizzing Jack Muldoon shot.
Pools pulled level on 54 minutes and it a brilliant first goal in blue and white for Mancini.
Wreh laid off a nice ball and the Frenchman applied a cracking finish from a central position on the 18-yard line, finding the keeper's bottom left corner at the Town End.
Harrogate came close when an Armstrong snap-shot was beaten out by Dixon.
Town then thought they had re-taken the lead through Matty Daly's shot.
Dixon appealed that Armstrong was offside and in his line of sight and, in the end, the officials agreed and the scoreline remained 1-1.
There was a triple Pools change on 68 minutes with Kieran Burton, Jordan Cook and Jake Hastie replacing Edon Pruti, Seaman and Umerah.
Harrogate regained the lead 10 minutes from time and it was a beautiful finish through Odoh, the diminutive sub shooting into Dixon’s bottom right corner.
Pools kept going to the end but could not find an equaliser.
John Askey’s side complete their friendly programme on Tuesday at home to Sunderland.
Pools: Dixon; Dodds, Onariase (Lacey 78), Pruti (Burton 68); Seaman (Cook 68), Crawford (Dolan 46), Cooke (captain), Mancini, Paterson; Umerah (Hastie 68), Grey (Wreh 46).
Goal: Mancini 54
Booked: Paterson 41
Harrogate: Oxley; Sims, O’Connor (Burrell 46), McDonald, Mattock, Muldoon, Cornelius, Gibson, M Daly, J Daly, Armstrong
Subs used: Burrell (46), Falkingham, Thomson, Odoh, Folarin, Foulds (all 72)
Goals: Armstrong 23, Odoh 80
Referee: Tony Harrington
Att: 1,242 (away 52)