Challinor still wants more after Hatters hit high-five

DAVE Challinor believes Stockport did not even hit top gear despite watching a 5-0 crushing of his former club Hartlepool.

The Hatters moved up to 12th but still have a five-point gap to make up to the League Two play-off spots because of Mansfield’s stoppage-time winner against Colchester.

But Challinor can at least be satisfied with the manner of the result at Pools, where the home fans who once worshipped him started emptying the stadium well before the end.

Challinor, whose side have won six of their last nine in the league, said: “It’s nice to come back and win, I had great times here. To come and win convincingly, you could see the ground emptying which I completely get.

“It was a great result for us. In terms of an overall performance, we have been better and lost. But today we were functionally very good and clinical. That is the pleasing thing.

“If we can get all the bits combined together over a consistent period we will do well.

“There were real positives. It is an important week for us. We have a few niggles, have a few on loan, low on numbers, we need to get through the month and see what happens in January. But it is an important month against teams around us.”

Challinor left Pools in November 2021 and this was the first time he had returned to the club he led to promotion back to the English Football League.

Two first-half goals from Kyle Wootton did the damage before Paddy Madden added the third in the 61st minute and substitute Callum Camps and Will Collar completed an emphatic scoreline.