NO sooner had the FA Cup draw been made and Lincoln boss Keith Alexander was fearing the worst; he probably couldn't have envisaged just how bad it was going to be.

Hartlepool United eased their way past Lincoln, a team who are no mugs in League Two, to make it four wins in a row and secure a place in round two of the competition.

Pool were so dominant, it's not wide of the mark to say that UniBond League Whitby proved a tougher nut to crack at the same stage last season.

Chances are that second round opponents Aldershot will prove a sterner test.

Three first-half goals rendered the second period almost a non-event, as Pool showed the difference between League One and Two.

The competition was good to Pool last season, their third round trip to Sunderland, 10,000 away fans and all, will long be remembered.

Something similar wouldn't go amiss this time around.

Ten years ago last week, Pool - 20th in Division Three - were paired with Port Vale - 14th in Division One - and the outcome was a 6-0 thumping for Keith Houchen's side.

The boot is now on the other foot as this was of similar ilk.

Before their 2003 promotion, Pool faced a couple of teams from the next division up. Tranmere and Bury both arrived at Victoria Park and triumphed while displaying more power, style and ability.

This time, it was Pool who were far too strong.

"When the draw was made I said that it was the worst possible draw that we could have got and I think this game proved that,'' said Alexander.

"I knew they were a footballing side who never lose a game at home so we knew it was going to be difficult.

"As I've said to the players, this has given us a good lesson. First half I thought they were as good a team as we've seen in a long, long while but we knew that beforehand.''

When the teams last met in Football League action, Pool stuttered to a 2-1 home win before being thumped 3-0 at Sincil Bank.

This performance showed how far Pool have progressed and developed since promotion.

Eifion Williams, Matty Robson and Joel Porter put Pool in front and how it only stayed at three is a mystery.

Lincoln's much-maligned, but so often effective, long-ball onslaught was ineffective and they never allowed to impose their game or physical presence on Pool.

Despite playing with three strikers, they never got a look in and, the odd cross aside, it was 86 minutes before Dimi Konstantopoulos warmed his hands.

Micky Nelson dominated at the back, with Chris Westwood equally firm alongside and, with the full backs and midfield rampaging forward at every opportunity, Pool enjoyed their day.

"It could have been a very difficult game for us,'' reflected Ritchie Humphreys, skipper for the day after Jack Ross was preferred at right back in place of Micky Barron.

"The first goal was the key and when it came, it opened the game up a lot more for us. They had to come out a bit more.

"The way they play is to pump balls up there for the strikers and, like they did to us a couple of years ago, try to dominate.

"But this result and performance shows how far we have come on as a team in the last couple of years or so.

"We dominated all over the pitch, even given for their height and physical presence.

"We are on a good run at the moment. We've won four games in a row and the main thing is that we are in the second round of the FA Cup.

"It could have been a really tricky one for us, but we were professional about it, got the goals and it could have been four or five at half-time.

"It was an enjoyable game for us. Going two goals up helped everyone, but they way they play leaves a lot of space out wide and the wingers and full backs can get forward.''

Pool had plenty of joy out wide, with Humphreys and Robson in tandem on the left and Williams and Ross causing trouble on the right.

With no full-backs and three, somewhat immobile, beanpoles in defence Pool's quick passing ripped The Imps apart.

It was 23 minutes before the breakthrough.Williams took a right wing throw to Adam Boyd, his turn into space doubled up as a perfect lay-off for Williams to race in and fire past Alan Marriott.

Backheel reverse passes from Porter and Adam Boyd was not only top-drawer showboating, but it carved open the defence like a tin of soup.

Number two came when Robson swung his right foot at a loose ball and expertly curled it into the top corner.

That was the cue for a 'different' celebration, rolling his arms about like a bodypopper from the 80s - a tribute to a bizarre Robson stretching exercise in training last week according to those in the know.

He could have been doing it again minutes later, but struck the far post, then fizzed in a fierce volley that dipped inches over.

In between, Marriott made a one-handed stop to keep out Boyd's one on one effort.

The third came when Boyd and Porter combined for the latter to fire across Marriott.

Porter could have made it four after a well-timed Williams tackle on the edge of the area.

Ex-Pool forward Marcus Richardson was his normal indifferent self. The only danger he posed was towards his own fans when he sliced a shot in the Rink End from 15 yards.

Richardson was part of Pool's promotion squad, part of the squad that lost 3-0 at Sincil Bank in March 2003.

Another example of how far things have developed at Victoria Park.

Result: Hartlepool United 3 Lincoln City 0.

Read more about Hartlepool here.