7pm 2 February 2022
Wearside League, Division Three
Hartlepool Pools Youth 3 Billingham Town reserves 2 (att 80)
This rare dip into the lowest tier of the Wearside League was prompted by an unusual midweek fixture, but it was a decent match.
It's fair to say the standard at this level is variable, with some lop-sided scorelines this season, but Pools Youth and Billingham are two of the better sides and provided an entertaining game in front of a large crowd.
Billingham started well and were on top until the home side took the lead against the run of play. The visitors drew level, but fell behind again just before we reached half time.
In the second period a third home goal set Pools up for their win, although a second Billingham goal kept the outcome in the balance right up to the final whistle.
Pools Youth were reduced to 10 men for stoppage time after a late red card, although Billingham had spent longer a man down when a player was sin-binned earlier in the half.
Hartlepool Pools Youth are, I think, newcomers to senior open-age football this season. Their home is a new 3G pitch at High Tunstall College of Science.
It took me a while to find the entrance to the 'cage' that surrounds the pitch, but once inside there's a spectator area running about two-thirds of the length of one side.
Annoyingly, sections of high fencing mean there are limited places to get a unhindered view of the pitch, and with a larger than expected crowd it was a bit of a squeeze. A handful of people chose to watch from behind the fence on the far side.
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