Double Dutch Defeats As Pools Lose To Almere

Hartlepool United ended their pre-season tour of Holland without a win and without a goal after losing 3-0 to Almere City.

Boss Neale Cooper named a strong side for the game, although Colin Nish and Simon Walton were unable to play on the artificial surface in Heiloo after recent knee operations.

With Scott Flinders continuing his rehabilitation from a thigh injury, youngster Dominic Scott remained between the sticks.

After a first half of few chances, Almere took the lead five minutes before the half time break as a ball to the far post was neatly headed home.

Pools came closest to levelling when a Neil Austin free-kick was turned away midway through the second half, but it was Almere who soon extended their lead after punishing Pools with a neat counter-attacking move.

Almere wrapped up the victory by adding a third at the death after capitalising on some slack defending.

FT: Almere 3 Hartlepool 0

Hartlepool: Scott, Austin, Collins (Baldwin 46), Hartley, Horwood, Franks, Sweeney, Murray (Humphreys 46), Poole, Howard (James 61), Monkhouse

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