Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor reflects on perfect start with 4-1 FA Cup first round victory at Yeovil Town

It was technically a nightmare start for the new Pools boss as inside the opening three minutes Lawson D’Ath half-volleyed the hosts into an early lead.

But a quick response from Luke James followed by goals from Gavan Holohan, Nicke Kabamba and Gime Toure saw the visitors emerge as convincing winners at Huish Park.

Challinor, who was officially unveiled as manager on Monday afternoon, spent little time with his side before the daunting 330-mile journey down to South Somerset but was delighted to get off to a winning start.

“It’s a great start especially to come here which is a tough place to come as I know previously,” admitted the Pools boss whose previous match at Huish Park saw him on the receiving end of a 3-2 defeat with AFC Fylde.

“To win is great, to score four goals is really pleasing and we’ve given ourselves a tie back down here to some degree and it’s one to look forward to as we wait to find out who we’ll play.”

Pools will play either Exeter City or Cambridge United in the second round but things could have been very different had they not reacted quickly to going behind.

“I was fearing the worst,” Challinor added.

“We knew that they’d start quickly given the fact we’d travelled down on the day which isn’t an excuse, it’s just the reality.

“The pleasing thing is we reacted really well and we moved on. Sometimes it’s good for it to happen to you like that so the players can take it on board straight away.

“It’s a learning environment and to react in the way we did and to get the next goal gave us massive belief and massive confidence and we grew from that.

“Some of the opportunities we created in the first half should have put the game to bed but we still had to weather a storm which we did.

“The way we countered and the last two goals were fantastic goals to give us a great result and take us into the next round.”