Honours even at Hartlepool

Middlesbrough and Hartlepool United shared four goals in a 2-2 draw in their pre-season friendly game at Victoria Park.

The hosts took the lead when Anthony Sweeney headed in a Luke James delivery before Brazilian trialist Correa set up Scott McDonald for an equaliser beyond Scott Flinders around the half-hour mark.

And the visitors ensured they would hold an interval advantage with a second goal moments later, Adam Reach finding the bottom corner after determined work inside the area from goalscorer McDonald.

Boro had started the game with free agent Justin Hoyte at the back and proceeded to make eleven changes for the beginning of the second-half.

Those included opportunities for trialists Romeo Castelan and Brazilian midfielder Dudu, while latest signing George Friend also came into the centre of defence.

But it was their opponents snatching an equaliser with only ten minutes remaining when Sam Collins headed in a corner via the underside of the crossbar.

Hartlepool United: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, Franks, Walton, Sweeney, Monkhouse, Poole, Howard

subs: Humphreys, Baldwin, Nish, Holden, McHugh

Goals: Sweeney, Collins

Middlesbrough: Leutwiler, Smallwood, Hines, McManus, Hoyte, Haroun, Thomson, Correa, Reach, Ledesma, McDonald

subs: Ripley, Bailey, Friend, R. Williams, Halliday, Castelan, Dudu, Leadbitter, Park, L. Williams, Emnes, Main

Goals: McDonald, Reach

Ref: T. Harrington

Att: 3,663

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