But after four days which even by pre-season standards have set the alarm bells ringing, Hartlepool United could have done with the tonic of tasting victory against modest opposition.

That's the way Pools' fortunes are going at the moment though.
If Chris Turner's side had ran out winners by five or six, Whitley Bay couldn't have complained, such was the dominance the visitors enjoyed throughout.

But their failure to make the most of a hatful of chances and a late sucker-punch equaliser hardly dampens the increasing worries among Pools' followers about where the forthcoming season is going.

By non-league standards, Whitley Bay aren't mugs, particularly after back-to-back FA Vase triumphs.

But they still have a scattering of players whose summer diet looked to
have been more sangria than mineral water which hardly helps in the defence of a Pools side which was more or less their first choice XI.

Performance-wise, it was much more encouraging though.

Pools' ball retention showed a vast improvement from their previous outings and the way they harried Bay every time they lost possession, meant the hosts barely ventured out of their own half in the entire game.

Turner's men looked comfortable in a more orthodox 4-4-2 with Fabian Yantorno, used up front alongside Adam Boyd, linking the play well by dropping deep into midfield.

Yantorno's fellow trialist Paul Murray provided a solid midfield platform alongside Tony Sweeney which allowed Pools' widemen to see plenty of the ball.

Likewise, Boyd was an effective foyle for Yantorno - working the channels well and flicking the ball into the path of Monkhouse and Leon McSweeney on the flanks.

Bay's box was regularly bombarded with crosses with Andy Monkhouse, Tony Sweeney and Gary Liddle the chief culprits in not making the most of the opportunities created.

There was almost an inevitability about how proceedings would turn out by the failure to take those chances.

The defence had barely been on the back foot all game.

But twice in the second half, Pools were stretched after being left exposed on their own corners and on the second, Bay capitalised.

Even if it is only pre-season, Pools' confidence must have been dented by that equaliser, particularly after getting off to an ideal start by taking a 17th minute lead.

Evan Horwood's inswinging corner from the right wasn't dealt with by Bay keeper Tom Kindley and Sam Collins headed home from inside the six-yard box.

Bay looked distinctly uneasy from set-pieces and another corner almost produced a second in the 25th minute.

Yantorno's delivery from the left was flicked on at the near post by Monkhouse and found Liddle with the goal at his mercy at the back stick only for the ball to get caught under his feet.

The best opportunity Pools had to double their advantage before the interval came in the 38th minute when Monkhouse received the ball in space on the left after a free-flowing move out of defence.

Monkhouse's cross beat the first man and found the run of Yantorno who just couldn't direct his sliding shot from eight yards out on target.

For all Pools' pressure, Bay were almost on level terms three minutes into the second half when Lee Kerr unleashed a rocket of a free-kick from 25 yards which Scott Flinders clawed away smartly low to his left.

Bay had a narrow let-off in the 58th minute when Neil Austin's free-kick from inside Pools' own half caused panic in the opposition penalty area.

Chunky centre-half Brian Rowe got his head to the ball ahead of his own keeper and as the two collided, it bobbled just wide of the post.

Sweeney should have scored four minutes later when another Yantorno inswinging corner from the left wasn't dealt with by the Bay defence.

But Sweeney didn't get a clean connection on his free header from 10 yards out and it bounced off the turf before going wide.

Whitley Bay gave a warning of what was to come in the 66th minute when Sweeney saw two shots blocked on the edge of the area before the ball was swept downfield.

Adam Johnston managed to control with his head and as the Pools defence scampered back, tried to lift the ball over Scott Flinders but just put too much elevation on his shot and it went over the top.

Moments later, Monkhouse went close after Bay failed to clear their lines from a corner and Collins eventually nodded the ball into the path of the Pools winger on the edge of the area who sent his low volley just wide.

Liddle somehow contrived to miss a sitter in the 72nd minute after beginning the move himself by spreading the play wide to Monkhouse.

The winger struck a cross cum shot which deflected into the path of Liddle, unmarked 10 yards out with all whole goal to aim at, but he managed to send his side-foot effort well wide.

Horwood, who surged forward well throughout the second half, went close in the 82nd minute when Monkhouse's shot was deflected out to the left-back, lying just inside the area.

Bay's equaliser came from the resulting corner as the hosts swept the ball downfield for Johnston who was left one-on-one against Neil Austin.

Johnston twisted Austin inside out before squaring for Phil Bell who slid into the empty net with Flinders committed.

Pools almost carved out an instant equaliser when Brown threaded his way to the left-hand by-line and pulled it back but Sweeney sent his diving header wide.

A magnificent save from Bay substitute keeper Terry Brice then denied Monkhouse a late winner when he latched onto Collins' knock-down from another corner and struck a sweet volley that the keeper blocked on the line.

Whitley Bay: Kindley (Brice 52), Gibson, Pounder, Williams (Smith 64), Rowe (Bell 61), Cornforth (Gourman 80), Waite (Ormston 52), Robson (McMullan 76), Kerr (McFarlane 79), Johnston, Chow (Robinson 52).

Pools: Flinders, Austin, Horwood, Sweeney, Collins, Liddle, McSweeney (Gamble 46), Murray (Hartley 70), Boyd (Brown 59), Yantorno (Larkin 76), Monkhouse. Subs not used: Rafferty, Bjornsson, Behan, Haslam.