A youthful Hartlepool United side are in action at The Vic tonight against Everton U21s in the National League Cup.
Pools will be hoping for a better result than last time out, when Middlesbrough U21s inflicted a club record defeat on Pools in the same competition. There are some first team players named in the starting XI but last time out Pools made four substitutions within the first minute.
Tonight, Charlie Penman, Liam Gibson, Neo Eccleston, Chris Popov and Terry Bondo all start. Meanwhile, Cam Darcy starts since returning from a loan spell at Spennymoor Town. Noah Gilbraith - captain - Harry Conyard and Matthew Taylor all make their senior debuts.
In August, a Pools XI were thrashed by Middlesbrough U21s. The club’s academy manager Alex Cross admitted the 10-0 defeat to Boro was ‘extremely difficult to accept’ but will ensure the young players learn from it. Cross led the side and does so again tonight. Hartlepool United are in Group C alongside Boreham Wood, Solihull Moors, Tamworth, Everton, Leeds United, Middlesbrough & Newcastle United.
Last season it is understood the competition forces clubs to start a minimum of four players in National League Cup matches that started for teams in either their previous league match, or start in the one that follows on from that particular National League Cup match. The game against Boro quickly descended into farce when first team players Brooklyn Ilunga, Will Harris, Chris Popov and first team captain Jack Hunter were all subbed within the opening minute.
HUFC XI: Conyard, Darcy, Gilbraith (C), Penman, Gibson, Penprase, C. Smith, Eccleston, Taylor, Popov, Bondo.
Subs: Hood, Daines, Flint, Thornton, Aungiers, Wood, Rukin.