Pools were put to the sword by a strong Boro side, but manager Craig Hignett will no doubt be pleased with aspects of what was a promising performance. And our Hartlepool United writer, Dominic Scurr, has dished out some fairly strong player ratings following the clash. Scroll down and click through the pages to see who he felt shone and struggled:
17. Liam Noble - 7
Sporting a new bleached blonde haircut, Noble was hard to miss in the middle of the park and helped Pools regain a bit of a foothold in the game despite trailing 4-0 when he was brought on. Photo: Frank Reid
18. Aaron Cunningham - 7
Came on in defence and didn’t concede a goal in what was another solid run-out for the young centre-back. Photo: FRANK REID