City's second string went down 2-0 against Hartlepool United this afternoon.

The game at Billingham Town saw starts for Delroy Facey and Andy Hutchinson up front while Reunion Island trialists Noussoura and Djiamali also played.

The Imps were a goal down at half time with Denis Behan opening the scoring with a neat finish having beaten the offside trap.

Pool could have scored again but Paul Musselwhite saved well from Leon McSweeney while for the Imps Delroy Facey had two good chances to get the Imps back on level terms but failed to take them.

After the break the Imps started brightly with Nathan Adams and substitute Sam Turner going close but Hartlepool continued to press with going having an effort cleared of the line before Bjornsson scored their second goal at the back post following a Larkin free kick.

The Imps rallied and Nathan Adams again went close forcing a good save from Rafferty but that was the last chance of note for the Imps and they lost their opening totesport.com game of the season.

Full Time: Hartlepool 2 Imps 0

Imps: Paul Musselwhite, Dan Coupland, Joe Anderson, Adifane Hamada Noussoura, Kern Miller, Ali Djiamali, Shane Clarke, Chris Fagan, Delroy Facey (Sam Turner 60), Andy Hutchinson, Nathan Adams

Subs not used: Nick Draper, Jack Thomas, Karl Cunningham, Jack Davis.

Hartlepool: Rafferty, Blackford, Bjornsson, Johnson, Hartley, McSweeney (Greulich 63), Humphreys (Bojang 46), Fredriksen (Richards 71), Behan, Mackay, Larkin.

Subs not used: Mooney, Bojang, Richards, Greulich.