IT was a horror start that pegged back Hartlepool United last season - this time around they are off to a flyer.

Twelve months ago one win in eight meant Chris Turner's side were playing catch-up from the off. In the end they reached the play-offs, but that pitiful start was a handicap throughout.

Saturday's 2-0 triumph at Lincoln thanks to a Lee Fitzpatrick brace was as comprehensive and comfortable start to a season anyone could have hoped, asked or prayed for. And it showed that the spirit, determination and drive that steered the club to the end of season shake-up is alive and flourishing. No-one is getting carried away - it might only be the first game but you could bet serious money that Lincoln won't be among the contenders this season - but bearing in mind the injury troubles that have hindered Pool's defence pre-season, it makes the result more appealing.

Shorn of a threesome of regular centre-halfs and a pair of wing-backs, Turner drafted in Coventry's on-loan Barry Ferguson and unknown non-contract recruit James Sharp into the middle of the back line and handed a debut to wing back Mark Robinson. It's a measure of how well they played that neither Gary Strodder, Micky Barron, Graeme Lee, Ian Clark and Paul Arnison were missed as much as players of that standing should be.

Turner admitted he took a gamble in playing Sharp, a former Reading trainee with barely an hour of pre-season football behind him. But it paid off with a decent dividend as the Rob McKinnon lookalike, with a good left foot to boot, helped combat Lincoln's predictable and equally unattractive diet of long balls pumped into the box. It was an art they had perfected under John Beck and while they don't play the game to that extent under Phil Stant, it is still something straight from the much-maligned Charles Hughes' stone-age FA directive.

Goalkeeper Martin Hollund was called upon plenty of times to pluck the ball from the air if it evaded one of his defenders and Turner was pleased with his display - exactly the response he has been looking for with Antony Williams keeping him on his toes. His finest moment came when he back-pedalled to expertly tip Justin Walker's deft 25-yard chip over the bar. But Pool had done their homework and came through it with a gold star from teacher Turner. Even when Lincoln won and flicked on the first ball from a near post throw, more often than not it was a yellow shirt on hand to clear.

"To be honest, the game was not up to much - but a win is all we could ask for,'' admitted Turner. "It is very difficult to play against a team like that who have only one aim - they must have thrown about 60 balls into our penalty area.

"But defensively we were excellent. I think we are better against teams that also want to play football, but this was not about football, but rolling your sleeves up and trying to combat their game which is about hitting long balls over our heads and trying to win throw ins. "It was a gamble playing Sharp. I thought his physical presence would help us out there and I was pleased with him. Barry Ferguson has never probably played in a game like that before but it never showed and Chris Westwood was again excellent. "We have three points on the board which is more than we had this time last season. It is very important to get your first win under your belt and we showed that our commitment and workrate was there.''

Fitzpatrick opened Pool's 2000-2001 scoring account thanks to some solid work from new boy Tony Lormor. The £30,000 buy spun off his marker to whip in a cross from the right that erratic keeper Alan Marriott spilled under pressure from the ex-Blackburn man. As it fell, Kevin Henderson saw his shot blocked by Fitzpatrick, but he reacted quickest to turn the ball home.

Lormor's game is built on hard graft and he was more than willing to help out his defence on plenty of occasions from aerial bombardment. His partnership with Henderson is on solid ground with both players not afraid to harass defences. Gavin Gordon was The Imps' biggest threat and in the second half he squandered a great chance when he cannonned a shot off Hollund's left post. Steve Holmes also went close, but it was the numbers Pool packed their defence with that helped no end.

Pool could have done with some more possession in the second half, but their killer second arrived with minutes left. Tommy Miller headed on Henderson's cross and as it dropped for Fitzpatrick, he wasted no time in rifling a thundering half-volley past Marriott from 20 yards to secure only a third opening day triumph in ten years. On August 26 1990, Cyril Knowles' side won at Chesterfield to kick-off a season that led to promotion. Chris Turner's class of 2000 is the first Pool side since then to have a realistic chance of success and they couldn't have got off to a better start.

MATCH-WINNER Lee Fitzpatrick fired Hartlepool to a opening day triumph and admitted: "Now we have to keep it going.'' Fitzpatrick netted a brace to ensure a 2-0 win at Lincoln on Saturday - and in the process the former Blackburn midfielder doubled his goals tally in a Pool shirt. There was confusion over who opened the scoring, with Kevin Henderson, Tony Lormor and Fiztpatrick all cited by fans and press alike, but the flame-haired ace admitted: "I challenged the keeper, Tony hit it and it spun off me and I knocked it on over the defender on the line - no one is taking that from me! "The second goal just dropped for me, Tommy won the header and it fell nicely and I just wellied it. It's always nice to finish the game off and to do it like that was even better. They might have had a few chances, but they are an awful team to play against, but it was just about battling and keeping things going. "It is a great result and now we have to take it into next week as well. We have had a few injuries pre-season and I have missed a few games as well, but I'm fit now and it's nice to be in the first team of the season.''

Turner beamed: "I've told Lee that we want to see more of an end product from him. He really smacked it for the second goal and it's fantastic that he got two goals.'' The Pool boss unveiled his latest recruit at Sincil Bank, left-footed defender James Sharpe - and the Pool boss was delighted with his display. Sharpe, a former Reading trainee, has been playing in the Jewson Wessex League last season after spending two years as a trainee at Reading. Turner pitched the non-contract signing in for his League debut to combat Lincoln's long-ball bombardment and admitted: "He was recommended by Mark McGhee and came up about a month ago to train with us, but he was struggling with an ankle injury. I brought him back last week and he played in a practice game against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

"With Strodder, Barron and Lee missing I had to look around for something else and the back three were all outstanding.'' CHRIS Turner has issued a timely warning to supporters, following a mini-pitch invasion at Sincil Bank on Saturday. Lee Fitzpatrick's second goal saw enthusiastic fans spill onto the pitch only to be chased off by an angry Turner.

The manager's actions were cheered by the majority of the 844 travelling fans behind the goal, but with Pool facing an FA enquiry after former Darlington manager David Hodgson was allegedly struck by a coin during last season's stormy play-off clash at Victoria Park, Turner admitted: "The support at Lincoln was fantastic. I appreciate it was a little bit of enthusiasm, but we can do without that to be honest. I don't think that people realise the implications of it - but we must keep them off the pitch.''

Goals: Fitzpatrick (20mins, 0-1; 89, 0-2) Booking: Holmes (dissent) Referee: Paul Danson (Leicester) Attendance: 3,588

LINCOLN (3-5-2): Marriott 6; Logan 6, Brown 7, Holmes 6; Smith 6, Bimson 6, Finnigan 6, Walker 6 (Gain 78), Miller 6; GORDON 7, Cameron 6 (Battersby 67). Subs (not used): Lindley (gk), Barnett, Peacock.

HARTLEPOOL (3-5-2): Hollund 7; Ferguson 7, Westwood 7, Sharp 7; Knowles 6, Stephenson 6, Miller 6, FITZPATRICK 8, Robinson 7 (Shilton 74); Lormor 7, Henderson 6. Subs (not used): Williams (GK), McAVoy, Tenebo, Midgley.

MAN OF THE MATCH Lee Fitzpatrick - two goals in a strong-running show, but it's hard to single out an individual