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Dave Challinor returned to haunt former club Hartlepool United, as his Stockport County side scored five goals in a League Two thrashing at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Challinor, who left Pools 13 months ago shortly after steering the club back into the English Football League, saw County move up to 12th and five points off a play-off spot.

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.

Hartlepool, who are two points adrift at the foot of the table, never looked like marking Keith Curle's permanent appointment as manager on an 18-month deal with a much-needed win.

Wootton's first was a gift from the Pools defence, as Reghan Tumilty's misdirected header dropped perfectly for the midfielder to lift over onrushing goalkeeper Ben Killip.

Less than four minutes later Wootton converted Collar's perfectly weighted through pass into the six-yard box.

Hartlepool should have pulled one back on the stroke of half-time but Jake Hastie side-footed wide after a delightful Callum Cooke pass.

There was no way back once Madden was left to head in his eighth of the season from a Ryan Rydel corner inside Killip's bottom-right corner just after the hour.

Camps turned Collar's corner in from close range, before the latter struck low from just inside the box to add number five late on.

Match report supplied by PA Media.