FOUR games, four wins. Last season it took Hartlepool United 19 games to rack up such a feat – and one of those victories was against non-league opposition in the FA Cup. 
Take the part-timers of East Thurrock United out of the equation and it was 29 games before they achieved it.
Ronnie Moore turned Pools around, rebuilt the squad over the summer, and it seems that the traumas of recent years of struggle are being put to bed. 
His vibrant and enthusiastic team last night equalled a club record going back to 1957 in winning four games in a row at the start of the season. They aim  to make it five and set a new benchmark at Stevenage on Saturday.
This triumph wasn’t overly pretty and Pools didn’t quite dominate, but they came through another test. 
Scott Fenwick scored the winner, thumping a rising shot high into the net from the edge of the penalty area. 
And, with Moore back from Spain where his daughter was taken to hospital after being struck down with pneumonia, it gave the manager the perfect pick-me-up.
“We played some nice stuff, but you can’t do it every game all game – we dug in and got a result,’’ reflected Moore. “The way we finished last season people can get carried away – there’s a long way to go and we need another 41 points now.
“We will always score goals, it’s about keeping the back door shut.’’
Fenwick’s goal means all three Pools front men have scored this season, but there was no strike from skipper Billy Paynter after three in three at the start of the campaign. 
He almost scored but got into a tangle with Michael Woods in the six-yard area, then cut across to get a strike in, but his shot was cleared off the line. 
“We had a go at Scotty a bit, it’s raining and wet and he was playing with rubber studs in the first-half. Then he picks the ball up, waltzs by and scored,’’ said Moore. 
“He’s got the knack of scoring goals, playing wide coming in there’s more goals in him.
“It’s four wins from four and we played some really nice football at times.’’ 
The first-half was flat all round. Newport, who travelled up on the morning of the game, sent two rising shots fizzing over Adam Bartlett’s bar. 
But a packed midfield, Newport’s deep 4-4-1-1 afforded Pools few openings and finding space was tough. 
Pools were also sitting deep, centre-halves Scott Harrison and Matthew Bates – in for Harry Worley who could be out for two weeks with an injury picked up at York– trying to build attacks from the back.
Six minutes after the restart, Fenwick decided the game. He ran towards the area, took advantage of a defensive slip and gleefully cracked home. 
He soon tried his luck again, but the shot ended in the car park behind the goal. 
The scorer then sent a long pass for Rakish Bingham to get in on goal, the ball sat up and his blast was saved. 
Newport then switched to a more adventurous formation, opening the game up a bit more, and defender Regan Poole headed over from a corner, but Harrison was dominant when he was called upon.
With Carl Magnay providing assured midfield protection in front of the back four, Pools were able to see the game out. 
Pre-season and Moore was concerned about the number of goals Pools shipped – five at Gateshead and four to Scunthorpe. Now the season has started, they’ve only conceded one at York last weekend.
Moore added: “It’s been a difficult week for me, the response from all has been fantastic and I thank them for that, but a nine-year-old in hospital with pneumonia is hard for everyone. 
“Hopefully all is well now and she needs an X-Ray on Thursday and we will take it from there.
“It was difficult keeping in touch with the games, it’s more nerve-wracking not being there than being there when you can’t influence it. I would have milked it at York if I was there!’’
Exiles’ boss Terry Butcher said: “They are a good team who are obviously full of confidence, but we’re eight points behind them – and I didn’t see an eight-point difference tonight.
“There was nothing to choose between the teams. It’s really frustrating because we’ve matched a very good team and come away with nothing.”