Reserve coach Tommy Craig expressed his delight with the performance of his side at Hartlepool on Friday night, after they registered a convincing victory over  the League One side.

Some eye-catching work down the left wing from Dubliner Alan O'Brien laid on first half goals for Daryl Smylie, Marc Walton and Michael Chopra - with Ulsterman Smylie grabbing his second after the break.

And at the other end Tony Caig enjoyed a rare moment in the spotlight as he saved a penalty from the home side's Adam Boyd.

With United wearing the new green second strip, Victoria Park was soon shrouded in mist, causing the floodlights to be switched on almost immediately after the 7pm kickoff.     

The visitors fielded six of the players who had been in Spain on Wednesday, but only Chopra had been in action against Deportivo.

After an early range-finder from Walton passed well over Konstantopoulos in the home goal, Pools should have taken the lead on 15 minutes - Eifion Williams blasting high when well placed.

And within three minutes they were made to pay for their profligacy as O'Brien made headway down the left and sent over a low cross for Smylie to pass the ball into the net.

Pools attempted to get back into the game and were given an opportunity on 27 minutes when Boyd evaded two attempted tackles by Atkin before tangling in the box with Huntingdon, who clearly handled.

Up stepped Boyd to shoot from the spot, only for Caig to drop to his right and palm the effort away.

And within 90 seconds Hartlepool had been punished again with a re-run of the opener, O'Brien this time supplying Walton with the chance to score his seventh goal of the pre-season on his fourth appearance.

Konstantopoulos then saved well to deny Smylie before another foray down the left on 38 minutes saw O'Brien race onto Gate's sprayed pass, before streaking past two defenders and serving up a perfect centre for Chopra to head home from close range.

Brittain's free kick could have added a fourth for the Magpies before the break, but after a quieter second half the mists cleared and numerous substitutions broke up the pattern of the contest.

A fourth did come with 10 minutes remaining, Smylie's second of the evening coming courtesy of a low shot from the angle of the box that seemed to catch the Pools' 'keeper unawares.

If there was a negative for the visitors it came in the closing moments when O'Brien was clipped on the ankle as he wound up another foray down the wing and limped off in the final seconds of the game. However he looked OK as he boarded the team bus back to Tyneside.  

PS - the anticipated rare sighting of Hugo Viana in a toon shirt failed to materialise, amid rumours of the midfielder's departure to Spain.