Goals:

0-1: Amond (40, Alessandra cut inside and slipped a pass into the top scorer to push home from ten yards)

1-1: Mullin (59, cross from the left headed up, shot saved and striker nodded in the rebound)

Booking: Mullin (60, foul)

Referee: Andy Haines (Sunderland): Had a stinker when he took charge of Pools’ recent game with Plymouth – not much better this time 4

Attendance: 1,548

Entertainment: 3/5 

MORECAMBE (4-2-3-1): Nizic 6; Duckworth 6, Edwards 7, WHITMORE 7, McGowan 6; Rose 6, Fleming 6, Turner 5 (Wildig 65, 5), Evans 5 (Molyneux 65, 5), Ellison 7; Mullin 6. Subs (not used): Maher (gk), Wakefield, Winnard, Murphy, Jordan.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2):

6 Fryer: Always a confident presence in his penalty area and made some important stops throughout when Pools were pressed back;

6 Richardson: Strong and settled back into the side seamlessly. Maybe gave Ellison too much room to cross for the leveller?

6 Walker: Showed attributes associated with a proper defender as he used his body strength to win challenges

6 Harrison: Strong and acts as a defensive leader in such a young and inexperienced back line

6 Donnelly: More settled and assured at times than he has looked in the last couple of games as he moved to left-back to accommodate Richardson’s return;

5 Alessandra: Helped create the goal, but a lot of what he tried didn’t come off as he took up a wide-right role, albeit one which allowed him to come inside as and when

7 FEATHERSTONE: When Pools were on top in the first half, he was dominant and more or less ran the show. Should have had a go at the death when presented with a shooting chance

5 Woods: Some neat and tidy passing, even if like Alessandra, a lot of what he wanted to do didn’t happen. Seemed to play in first gear for the majority of the game

5 Thomas: Didn’t quite have any of the impact he did last season at Morecambe and was tightly checked this time around;

6 Amond: Took his goal well, could have had a second, but long balls up to him meant Pools didn’t play to his strengths

6 Oates: Played in his preferred role and caused a nuisance of himself at times. Could have made more of the openings which came his way.

Subs:

Rodney (for Alessandra 80)

Oates (for Deverdics 90)

(not used): Dudzinski (gk), Magnay, Bates, Hawkins, Rooney.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Alex Whitmore – will have gone home with a bad head such was the amount of balls he nodded away.