THE fallout from one of the most memorable weeks in Hartlepool United's history continues.

Neale Cooper was last night presented with his first award as Pool boss, to mark the 8-1 annihilation of Grimsby, while Tuesday's win at Stockport, which lifted Pool into second spot in Division Two, was the final game in charge for Carlton Palmer.

The former England midfielder was axed at Edgley Park after winning just 25 of almost 100 games in charge. John Hollins has taken over.

Sky Sports presenter and ardent Pool fan Jeff Stelling last night met up with Cooper at the team's Heathrow hotel to hand over a crystal football, the award for the Scottish Life International Performance of the Week.

The presentation will feature on Stelling's Soccer Saturday show this afternoon.

Stelling will be in his Sky studio as Pool aim to go one better than the position they currently occupy - and move into top spot in Division Two for the first time in their history.

Cooper's side are at Brentford who, like Stockport, are at the wrong end of the table.

And after such a sincillating start to the season, Pool striker Marco Gabbiadini - Tuesday's match-winner at Edgley Park - admits his new team are carrying on the momentum built up over the last few seasons at Victoria Park.

He admitted: "We are second top right now, but it's wrong to say we set out to be there at the start of the season.

"It's always difficult when a team goes up a division and I think if you look at most seasons, there's always someone who pulls away.

"Last year it was Wigan and Cardiff who spent all the money, bringing players in and going for it. But that's not the situation at our club.

"We've offloaded a few players over the summer and brought a few in as well, myself included.

"And I think the players who have come in have done very well for us.

"Good players have come in to join up with the other good players already here.

"When a team is promoted the confidence is already there and you can see that. We had that one bad game at Luton and that's the only time we have been beaten.

"All you can do is enjoy it while you can. You can come out with all the usual cliches like 'let's not get carried away' and that sort of rubbish, but we are there on merit, so let's enjoy it.

"Being second is a great achievement for us.''

Tuesday's win was Pool's second away from home this season. They have only lost a single game this campaign, at Luton three weeks ago, and the former Sunderland and Darlington striker confessed: "After winning 8-1, the next game is a classic pitfall isn't it? Get a result like that one and then go away and get beaten, but we have won them both. Winning 8-1 is an achievement and one we can all be proud of.

"We aren't going to win every week, but what we have done is given ourselves a great shot in the arm by winning at Stockport. Two awa y games in a week is tough, but I don't think we really fear anyone at this moment.

"We went to Stockport and had respect for them, but something I have always thought is true in football, and the manager definitely does, is that you worry about yourselves and not the opposition.

"If you do your own things right then you don't have to worry about others.

"We worked hard the other night and it was a tough game. I wouldn't say we scored against the run of play, but they were pushing us a little. The gaffer wasn't too happy because he thought we were causing our own problems by giving the ball away too much.

"Maybe it comes from the confidence from the Grimsby game, trying to play in the wrong areas. But we saw it out.''

Gabbiadini's summer signing upset a minority of Pool fans who were quick to refer to his Darlington past.

Four goals later and surely no-one can have any doubts.

"As a striker, if you are scoring goals, wherever you go, then people will love you,'' he said.

"You can try to do other things in the game as well, contributing to the performance and what have you, but to be in the team you have to set the benchmark. Scoring goals is what is expected.

"The fans have been great to me - look at the rececption the other night at home, fantastic, and I've not had a problem at all.

"We have had great support all season and it's so nice to see so many going away from home as well.''

* Tickets are on sale for the all-ticket Sheffield Wednesday game on Friday, October 10.

Fans must either be registered on the club's database or take along proof of identity with their home address when buying a ticket. Tuesday's Carling Cup tie with West Brom is not all-ticket, but fans are advised to buy tickets in advance, as the club is hoping for a bumper crowd.

Read more about Hartlepool here.