Hartlepool United suffered their third National League Cup defeat of the season.
Hartlepool United suffered their third National League Cup defeat of the season after a 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle United Under-21s.
Ahead of the game, head coach Pete Wild had made clear he would be treating the game as a first team match and Reiss McNally, Luke Charman and Nathan Sheron all retained their places from the weekend's 4-2 victory over Forest Green Rovers, while new signing Max Clark made his first start for the club - the former Hull City defender has joined until January.
Elsewhere, new signing defender Sam Lavelle, 30, was unavailable, while West Bromwich Albion loanee Cole Deeming and fellow loan signing Jack Earing from Barrow are cup-tied after featuring for their parent clubs in the cup competition earlier this season. Injury-wise, Jamie Miley, Cam John, Corey McKeown, Max Merrick, Max Kouogun and Owen Hampson remain out.
Pools had previously rotated their squad in the two National League Cup games with a number of academy prospects receiving game-time during a heavy club record 10-0 defeat against Middlesbrough and a narrow loss against Everton. In the opening stages, new signing Clark whipped in a cross and Charman produced a powerful header which cannoned off the crossbar of NUFC keeper Roman Dowell.
The visitors took the lead in the 9th minute, Kyran Thompson sweeping home from six-yards past Nathan Fisher, Johnny Emerson with the assist from the right flank. McNally was booked in the 13th minute for a foul after a loose pass from centre-back partner Penman, McNally's fifth booking of the season.
Both sides continued to probe, with Robbie Stockdale's Newcastle seemingly targeting the right flank after their earlier success. Pools hit back and levelled in the 26th minute, Nolan with the header at the back post from Bondo's deep cross, a welcome morale boost for the summer signing.
Newcastle youngsters had a good chance to restore their lead, however, Matheos Ferreira blazed high over the crossbar from close range as the half-hour mark approached. With 35 minutes on the clock, the visitors did regain the lead, a Thompson strike was deflected in via Penman, Fisher should have done better but could only palm it into the net.
Wild brought Harris off at the break, with Brooklyn Ilunga given a run-out for the second half. Clear cut chances were few and far between in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, Sheron saw a well-drilled low effort deflected on the 70 minute mark.
There was little to separate the two sides as the game wore on, with the game disrupted by the substitutions. Hartlepool United have one more game to come in the competition, Leeds United U21s visit in November.
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HUFC (4-4-2): Fisher, Darcy, McNally (C) (Eccleston, 77), Penman, Clark (Smith, 72), Sheron (Penphrase, 76),Thornton, Nolan, Charman (Popov, 63), Harris (Ilunga, 45), Bondo.
HUFC subs not used: Thompson (gk), Conyard (gk).
Booked: McNally (13), Clark (60), Darcy (72).
Goal: Nolan (26).
NUFC (4-3-3): Dowell, Johnson,Charlton, Watts, Pivas, Bailey (C), Emerson (Seldon, 64), Miley, Afner Ca, Thompson (Fitzgerald, 64), Ferreria.
NUFC subs: Walpole, Craggs, Bloomer, Kouossu, Salia.
Goal: Thompson (9), Penman (OG, 35).
Booked: Thompson, Bailey, Ferreria.
Attendance: 578 (107 NUFC).