Hartlepool United 1-1 Scunthorpe United
Report from the Riverside Sports Complex

The Iron's youth team got a decent point down at Hartlepool United on Saturday, drawing 1-1 there at the Riverside Sports Complex in County Durham.

Scunthorpe started the game well and forced a corner straight from the kick off which was swung in by Johnathan Williams.

The ball was cleared to the halfway line and visiting defender Sam Comer took too long to clear under pressure and was forced into conceding a corner from which Iron keeper Jake Turner made a good save.

Home striker Anthony Wakefield had a chance in the fifth minute when he forced Turner to turn his shot round the post for Pool's second corner of the game.

Giant Hartlepool central defender Tom Marron headed for goal only to see his effort well cleared by Iron defender Comer.

The visitors hit back and had a chance on nine minutes when Ashley Palmer connected well with Williams' corner only to see his header well saved by Nick Thomas in the Hartlepool goal.

Hartlepool's left winger Daniel Johnson volleyed wide from the edge of the box on 11 minutes from the Pools' third corner of the game.

The visitors almost took the lead on 20 minutes when a good corner from Jack Cross saw Richard Dean head down and striker Josh Thomas blazed his shot over the home team's bar from close range.

On 36 minutes United central defender Palmer missed his clearance allowing Pool striker Chris Dodds to shoot narrowly over the visitors goal.

Away goalkeeper Turner's huge goal kick caused confusion in the home team defence and Hartlepool conceded a corner as a result.

Thomas flicked the corner on and Aron Wint's strike at the far post was deflected wide for another corner to Scunthorpe from which they scored the opening goal. The corner was cleared to United midfielder Alfred Gbanie who fired in his shot from the edge of the penalty area. The shot deflected to Iron striker Thomas who made no mistake this time as he lashed the ball home from eight yards to put the visitors from North Lincolnshire into a half time lead.

Hartlepool started the second half well and left winger Johnson's shot forced away keeper Turner in to a fine save on 48 minutes.

Scunthorpe could have extended their lead in the 50th minute when captain Maguire put Thomas through on goal but his attempted lob dipped on to the roof of the Hartlepool goal.

On 62 minutes the home team drew level.Home left winger Johnson, who had caused the visitors problems, received the ball in space and crossed early towards the far post. Hartlepool striker Wakefield found space behind Iron central defender Richard Dean and the Pool striker planted a fine header beyond the despairing dive of Turner in the Scunthorpe goal to put the home team back on level terms.

Both teams then created chances to nudge themselves in to the lead and Iron keeper Turner had to be alert as his goal came under pressure late on.

Visiting captain Joe Maguire had a late chance on 85 minutes when he rose high in the home team box and connected with a corner from Jack Cross only to see his header finish wide of the Hartlepool goal.

Youth development officer Tony Daws said: "We got the ball down and passed it well at times and I thought that we played quite well in the first half.

"With a bit of luck we could have perhaps scored again before they levelled.

"Hartlepool put us under pressure, particularly after their goal but we defended well when we needed to.

"Overall, the lads worked hard and put in a good display against a good Hartlepool team."