Jim McNulty uses key word to summarise Rochdale's win over Hartlepool United

Rochdale were relegated below Hartlepool at the end of last season and have started the season in as equally indifferent form as John Askey’s side, and yet for 45 minutes at the Suit Direct Stadium, McNulty’s team were a cut above.

Rochdale were better than Hartlepool in every department as they cruised into a 3-0 lead – helped again by some lacklustre defending from Askey’s men.

But the away side would then demonstrate why they have found life challenging in their introduction to the National League after Nicky Featherstone’s strike on the stroke of half-time changed the complexion of the game.

Rochdale suddenly found themselves on the backfoot as Pools pressed for an unlikely route back into the game.

But despite Emmanuel Dieseruvwe reducing the deficit even further in the closing stages, McNulty’s side dug in to see out the game and climb above Pools in the National League.

McNulty said: “We weathered the storm and showed some brilliant fighting characteristics and traits of togetherness in the second half which, ultimately, rewarded what was an outstanding 50 minutes for us to get what I feel, regardless of any pressure in the second half, was a deserved win.

“We’re an exciting team, we score goals. So many of our games have had goals at each end, but that’s the make-up of our squad. It’s not really designed for sitting in and trying to pinch things.

"We’re going to try and win games, score goals and play great football and I thought the first half was a pure advert for that.

"The first half alone was enough to win the game. The players were brilliant. We were so destructive.

"We believe we can hurt everyone in the league. We were the much better team, we’ll probably have the better xG and some days you get the result.

"It was a real character test that we gave a goal away so close to half-time and gave the other team some hope.

"Lots of things will come and go; form, quality, but fight can’t ever go and it didn’t. They had to fight and dig in together for 45 minutes in the second half.”