Elliot Embleton's penalty in first-half injury time saw Sunderland round off pre-season with a draw at League Two Hartlepool United. Pools took the lead with an own-goal inside two minutes, but the Black Cats went on to dominate for virtually the entirety of the 90 minutes.
They created a series of chances in the first half but could not find a finish until Jack Diamond was fouled, and man of the match Embleton scored from the spot. In the second half, more chances came and went with Luke O'Nien coming closest to winning the game when he slid the ball against the post soon after the restart.
But in the end the game remained deadlocked, with both sides now set to start their respective league campaigns next weekend. Sunderland boss Alex Neil made a full slate of changes following the weekend defeat at Accrington, opting to use this game to give more squad members minutes rather than as a dress rehearsal for Sunday's Championship opener against Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.
