Rovers brushed aside by Pools in Billingham.
Hartlepool Dev – 2 (Smith, 44; Carberry OG, 88)Rovers Dev – 0
Wednesday 6th April 2016
The Evolution Arena, Billingham
Final Third Development League
Another young Rovers side suffered late on at the hands of Hartlepool in trying conditions on the north-east coast.
Goals at the end of both halves by Connor Smith and an own goal through Michael Carberry respectively put paid to the visitors chances.
After a blustery start, the first notable chance of the game took nearly 30 minutes to materialise when Brad Walker’s driving run laid the platform for striker Kudus Oyenuga to graze the outside of ‘keeper Marko Marosi’s post.
Though Ryan Catterick in the opposition goal was forced to punch away through a crowd of players, the hosts took the lead on the stroke of half time. Oyenuga again got in a promising position and he found his strike partner Smith who slotted in to the bottom corner.
Half time: Hartlepool Dev 1 – 0 Rovers Dev
Rovers began in positive fashion after the break and, through a moment of brilliance by midfielder Lewis Collins, were unlucky not to equalise when his speculative 30 yard drive skimmed Catterick’s crossbar.
With fifteen minutes to play, United came on strong and Oyenuga’s last contribution was to scuff wide from the edge of the box prior to substitutes Josh Nearney and Jordan Jewson who spurned good chances to put the game beyond reach.
Rovers – through a substitute of their own – could have squared things up in the dying stages but Ryan Wanless blazed over when one on one.
As it was, an unfortunate Carberry put through his own goal in the six yard box after a low drive from Jewson settled the contest.
Full time: Hartlepool Dev 2 – 0 Rovers Dev
Pools: Catterick, Richards, Harrison, Pollock, D Jones (Nearney 50), Duckworth (Blackford 65), Green, Walker (Nelson-Addy 65), Laurent (Jewson 72), Oyenuga (Skidmore 72), Smith.
Cautions – N/A
Rovers Dev: Marosi, Fielding, Carberry, Davies, Mbuti, Turnbull, Whitehouse (Henderson), Collins, Pugh (Wanless), Mandeville, Longbottom.
Subs: Jones, Barker, Walker.
Cautions – N/A