HARTLEPOOL: A young side will face Spennymoor this evening. Following Wednesday’s Victoria Park defeat to Sunderland and tomorrow’s trip to Scotland to face Livingston, Pools will field a mainly Under-21 team tonight.

That means the likes of summer teenage signings Ben Pollock, James Martin and goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski will start, as well as highly-rated midfielder Jack Blackford.

Pools boss Craig Hignett said: “Sunderland was only our second game and we are trying to integrate players and systems. We have done a lot of work with the defensive side of the game.

“We have changed things around and with that squad we can compete, I know that because I’ve seen them.

“Second-half against Sunderland we looked good. Sunderland changed their team, but on the whole I was pleased with what I saw.

“We have a game on Saturday and then on Tuesday there’s two games so everyone will get a run out that night.’’

Pools will split their squad on Tuesday for games at Seaham and Guisborough, before taking on Scunthorpe at Victoria Park a week on July 30.

Moors, who have former appointed Pools midfielder Tommy Miller as assistant boss, won 5-1 at Seaham on Wednesday and beat Markse 1-0 last weekend. The game is played at Billingham Town, kick-off 7.30pm and admission is £3 and £1 concessions.