Hartlepool United caretaker manager Antony Sweeney reacts to win over Everton under-21s and Dave Challinor's departure for Stockport County

Pools beat Everton under-21s 1-0 thanks to a second half strike from substitute Matty Daly to confirm their place in the next round of the competition.

Sweeney was thrust into interim charge after confirmation Dave Challinor would be leaving to join National League club Stockport County. The move was announced by The Hatters just before Pools’ match reached half-time.

For Sweeney, who previously had a spell as caretaker before Challinor’s appointment at Pools two years ago, it’s just about steadying the ship while the club looks to make a new appointment.

"It's been a difficult 48 hours for everyone but the club moves on,” Sweeney said. “It's a knockout competition and it's money in the pot so it's important we got the win.

“I'd built up a great relationship with Dave so to see him leave the club is disappointing for me personally but also for the football club as a whole because of the job he’s done.

"It’s always sad and we expected it to come at some time just not as soon as it was.

“I'd been made aware of the approach which had gone to the club but that's as far as I knew.

"There was a back and forth in the training session [on Monday] then I got a call in the evening to meet the chairman [Raj Singh] and take the reins in the short term.

“It's the same remit as last time. I'm here to do the job as long as I'm needed but I think this appointment is probably more important than the last one to be honest because we've got a lot more to lose as a Football League side.”

On the match itself, Sweeney added: “I thought we grew into the game a little bit.

"I won't take credit for the team because we discussed the team while Dave was still here but the subs had a massive impact.

"The subs are there to impact the game and that's exactly what they did.”

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