DAVE Challinor insists the standards in performance have been set by his Hartlepool United players.

Pools’ FA Cup run came to an end at Oxford on Saturday, the League One promotion chasers running out 4-1 winners.

But the visitors were in command during the first-half, as they led through Mark Kitching’s early strike. Two late goals flattered the home side, and, for Challinor, attention now turns to Tuesday’s game with Eastleigh at Victoria Park.

He said: “This should be, not a disappointment as we all hate losing that’s the nature of people involved in football, a day to take the positives. We did what we did against Oxford and showed how organised and disciplined we can be. We play Eastleigh next and we’ve got to be exactly the same.

“We have to replicate that mentality and attitude week, after week – regardless of the opposition.

“That’s why the majority of the players at this level have to keep those standards up.’’

Pools were backed by almost 800 travelling fans at the Kassam Stadium and Challinor admitted he was overwhelmed by the support.

He told BBC Tees: “The support was fantastic. After games you are disappointed to lose, you go over there and feel more disappointed because of the ovation they gave us. Some games you can be four up and the crowd disappear.

“For the crowd to allow us to show our appreciation to them motivates me to make sure we will get it right here. I will have players in that dressing room who want to achieve for themselves and want to achieve for them as well.’’

Pools went in front when a back pass from Rob Dickie was latched onto by Kitching and he nipped in ahead of keeper Jordan Archer to net on eight minutes.

Gavan Holohan fired at goal from distance, as Pools chased a second. Pools felt they should have had a penalty in first-half injury time when Kitching went down under pressure.

Home boss Karl Robinson regrouped at the break, and his side was a different proposition in the second-half.

Rob Hall levelled on 52 minutes as he beat keeper Mitch Beeney from distance with a low curling effort.

Shandon Baptiste turned the Pools defence inside out shortly after the hour mark to net an individual goal.

At 2-1 Pools still remained in the game and had hopes of a replay and a place in Monday’s draw for the fourth round. Holohan broke down the left and got into a dangerous position, but sliced his shot wide.

Then Kitching got the ball following a goalmouth scramble and missed the target with his effort.

But the game went away from Pools at the end.

Tariqe Fosu-Henry netted the third and Taylor then scored from the spot after Mark Sykes was bundled over in the area.

Challinor added: “At half-time we were in a good position, but the second half was always going to be hard. We tired a bit towards the end of the first-half.

“The game was decided on moments. Back end of the first half was it a foul on Kitch in the area for a penalty? Little things, to come here and win, need to go in your favour.

“We didn’t hold out long enough second half to cause that bit of panic and frustration.

“We went ahead and we wanted to sit in and defend compactly. With them being expansive we felt we would get opportunities.

“Second half we had the intent to get a second goal and were undone by Kenton’s injury and with Kitch in front of him we had two defenders there. They got more joy down the side and we made changes to try and get something.

“It showed when you leave yourself open at the back, teams from a higher division will cause you problems.

“We conceded four and it always makes you disappointed. What we have to do is use this as motivation to be better than where we are.

“They are the best team by a long way in League One and now we have to move forward individually and collectively.’’

Oxford boss Karl Robinson admitted: “For the first time in a long time we have an identity and a way of playing. We have a style and we stuck to it, which was the pleasing thing for me.

"If you do that it allows a fatigue element to drop into the opposition, which means gaps open up.

“We didn’t get carried away with some very peculiar decisions in the first half, we stuck to our guns.

“I had a little go at them at half-time. In the second half every throw-in and goal kick we took quicker. These small components we polished up at half-time.’’

POOLS: Beeney, Kioso, Kerr, Raynes (Molyneux 83), Richardson (Hamilton 70), Kitching, Featherstone, Mafuta, Donaldson, Holohan, Kabamba (Toure 65). NOT USED: Killip, Cunningham, Kennedy, Grey