Hartlepool United end pre-season in style as 22-year-old stars in impressive Sunderland victory

Pools signed off their preparations with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Championship opposition ahead of the new National League campaign with Askey’s side set to travel to Barnet this weekend.

And Askey watched on as three of his forward players got on the scoresheet once more as Chris Wreh, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe and Joe Grey all found the back of the net, with new midfield signing Anthony Mancini scoring twice in as many first half minutes.

Wreh capitalised on a mistake from Sunderland when trying to play out from the back in the opening five minutes with a good finish, giving goalkeeper Matt Young no chance.

The Black Cats levelled through Alex Pritchard who curled in a fine free kick before French midfielder Mancini made his mark.

The 22-year-old swept home to cap a brilliant counter-attack from Pools involving David Ferguson and Josh Umerah before pouncing on another Sunderland error from the restart to finish well from the edge of the area.

Tom Crawford came close to adding a fourth before the break before Jewison Bennette got in behind the Hartlepool defence to reduce the deficit just after the hour.

But Pools weren’t to be denied a third pre-season win as Dieseruvwe grabbed his third goal since joining the club from the penalty spot after Jake Hastie was bundled over before Grey added a fifth following yet another Sunderland mistake.

And while the real test will come against Barnet on Saturday, Askey was pleased with how his side signed off their pre-season schedule in front of a crowd of over 6,000 inside the Suit Direct Stadium.

"I think it’s been important that we’ve had a decent pre-season after last season to try and get a feel-good factor around the place,” said Askey.

"To finish off pre-season with a result and a performance like that is obviously nice, it should give the players confidence going into the first game.

"Going forward I thought we created quite a lot, the finishing was really good when we got into good positions.

"Chris’ finish was excellent and every time Anthony gets close to goal he looks as though if he does get a chance then he’ll put it away, and defensively we looked strong.

"But pre-season is pre-season and after the Barnet game it won’t matter.”

He added: "What you’re looking for is effort and we got that, so I’m really pleased.

"I think everybody who played should come away feeling confident. I can’t think of anybody who struggled really.

"The players who have come in have done well and the ones who have been here from last season, there’s a bounce in their step from where they were when I first came in.

"It was well worth the game – I was a little bit worried that it wasn’t what we wanted leading up to the Barnet game but it’s worked out that it’s been worth it and we’ve come away unscathed and it’s been a good workout."