Hartlepool emerged victorious as we ended the match with 10 men at Victoria Park.

Gavan Holohan gave Pools the lead on the stroke of half-time shortly after Ian Burchnall had sent Lewis Knight on for Regan Griffiths, and Cal Roberts also entered the fray in the second period alongside Dion Kelly-Evans.

But Roberts, who's had a horrible season with injuries, pulled up shortly after his introduction leaving us with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

We never gave in but any real hope of taking something from the match was extinguished four minutes from time when Richie Bennett turned the ball home from a corner, making it a day to forget on the North Sea coast.

STARTING XI: Slocombe; Barnett (Roberts 70'), Chicksen, Ellis, Rawlinson, Boldewijn (Kelly-Evans 70'); Reeves, O'Brien, Griffiths (Knight 37'); Wootton, Knowles.

UNUSED SUBS: Lacey, Rodrigues