MARTIN Scott isn't fazed about losing his final warm-up game of pre-season.

Hartlepool lost 4-0 to a Newcastle XI on Friday night and, with only a game at Durham City remaining - Pool will send a young side tomorrow night - Scott's pre-season preparations are coming to a close.

The players had the weekend off, their last before the League One campaign begins when Bradford visit Victoria Park on Saturday.

And Scott feels his squad is ready for the new season, after a busy summer schedule.

"The game against Newcastle was exactly what I needed,'' he said. "All pre-season I haven't looked at results and that's for a reason.

"All I need is for players to get minutes on the board. Every player at this club is monitored how many minutes they have played pre-season and they all have got up around the 300-mark.

"That has been my priority.

"There were lots of negatives in the Newcastle performance and the game provided a lot of answers.

"There were a few positives - we reacted more positively in the second half.

"Newcastle were stronger and a lot sharper and stronger than Middlesbrough were. The team was 18 months or so older than Middlesbrough and the caused us problems.

"I have learned more from that game than I did last week at Hibs, when I thought we did every so well.

"You learn more from that sort of game than easy victories. I spoke to the lads and it has been a great pre-season and I told them that.

"It is going to be a squad season for us. We are hungry and are in it together.

"They know the first-half against Newcastle wasn't good enough.''

Pool missed a chance to draw level at 1-1 when Adam Boyd's penalty was saved by Tony Caig, but Scott knows Boyd, Pool's regular penalty taker, won't be affected by the miss.

Scott said: "Adam missed a penalty but what I like about him is that if we get a penalty next week against Bradford he will grab the ball and take it.

"I took penalties at Sunderland and Adam will score eight penalties out of ten.''

* Tickets for the Carling Cup tie with Darlington at Victoria Park on Tuesday, August 23 go on general sale this morning.

* The club's DVD review of last season, Into the Millennium, is on sale toda, priced at £20, and the new all-black Nike away kit is also available.

Read more about Hartlepool here.