Maidenhead 0 Hartlepool 4

Danilo Orsi-Dadomo turned Nicky Featherstone’s cross into his own net to hand Pools a first-half advantage, before second-half goals from Claudio Ofosu, Ryan Johnson and Gavan Holohan confirmed the visitors’ victory.

Pools have also beaten Aldershot and Chesterfield this term, but while Dave Challinor is satisfied with his side’s start to the season, he was unimpressed with his players’ first-half efforts at the weekend.

“The game should have been over at half-time,” said the Pools boss. “We weren’t at it and didn’t do the basics well. Our defending was shocking, yet we kept a clean sheet somehow. We were miles better in the second half, but it’s a ‘get out of jail free’ card.

“Based on the second-half performance, we deserved to win 4-0, but Maidenhead should have been out of sight at half-time, let alone us being in front.”

Having been outplayed for most of the opening period, Pools claimed the lead in stoppage-time when Orsi-Dadomo found his own net.

Ofusu, a summer signing from Royston Town, claimed his first Hartlepool goal when he slotted into the bottom corner at the start of the second half, and the recent arrival had another effort chalked off for offside shortly after.

Johnson trebled Pools’ lead as their dominance was rewarded again in the 51st minute, pouncing on a loose ball from a corner, before Holohan rounded off the scoring seven minutes from time.

“We started the game as though we didn’t have to defend, and I told the players that, and it was on them to come out in the second half and turn it around,” added Challinor. “The team talk didn’t change with the goal just before half-time, but it gave us a lift and showed the players that they had really got away with one in the first half.

“It shouldn’t take me to slate them to get a reaction, but we’re obviously pleased it did and delighted to get another win because winning three in a row at this level is tough.”

Pools return to action tomorrow when they host Bromley.