Pools ensured it would be their name in the draw for the Second Round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy with a convincing and well-deserved 4-0 victory over Northampton Town.

Mick Wadsworth's side dominated from start to finish this evening but the first goal took some time to arrive - Evan Horwood opening the floodgates after over an hour of play.

Goals from Sweeney, Monkhouse and Behan followed quickly and Pools finished the game with a scoreline their pressure deserved.

Pools dominated possession and created plenty of chances in the first half this evening, the only disappointment at half time being the lack of goals.

James Brown kick started the evening for Pools with his first shot of the game straight from the off but the young forward was denied by the acrobatic efforts of Chris Dunn in the Northampton goal.

Evan Horwood was next up to threaten as he burst energetically down the left wing to whip a testing ball into the box but his effort was eventually cleared by a uncertain visiting defence.

A Joe Gamble freekick from 25 yards looked to be heading for the back of the net but as his effort sailed through a crowded box, Dunn somehow got down to push the ball wide of target,

Horwood, who looked lively this evening, sent an inswinging ball into the box from the right wing but his effort, which evaded the Town defence, curled just wide of the far post.

Gamble then set himself up for a strike on goal; the Irish midfielder who is clearly relishing the freedom he has this term, bombed forward, playing a neat one-two with Monkhouse before sending a low effort which was collected by Dunn.

Adam Boyd tried his luck with an overhead kick, which caused confusion in the area, while Sweeney was on hand to press further but again the visitors cleared.

Boyd seemed determined to hit the net this evening, throwing himself at a James Brown flick on to try and force it home and also sending in a good strike which was well blocked by Dunn late in the half.

The visitors had the odd chance to break up Pools' dominance; Michael Jacobs sent a freekick in from twenty yards which was held Flinders, while a Kevin Thornton ball from the right escaped the attentions of Pools back line as it sailed into the area - fortunately it also evaded Jacobs who was arriving at the far post.

Northampton even had the ball in the back of the next just after the half hour mark when Abdul Osman forced it home from a corner kick but the midfielder's push on Gary Liddle saw the effort chalked off.

James Brown went close to giving Pools the lead in the dying minutes as he sent a thunderous header at goal only to see it crash against the angle, while Sweeney tried to send the rebound in with an overhead kick but his effort was cleared off the line.

With no goals in the first half, Pools had the second forty-five to guarantee their passage into the Second Round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy without relying on the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Wadsworth's side continued to dominate after the break and looked very lively going forward but the breakthrough was slow to arrive.

A Joe Gamble corner from the left was headed at goal by Liddle only for Seb Harris to return the ball off the line and Pools were forced to start again.

The visitors were forced to chase the ball for much of the second half and they put up a resolute front to deny a determined Pools.

But for all of Northampton's steel, Pools were in no mood to give up and the opener did arrive with 66 minutes on the clock.

A ball into the box from the left looked to have missed its target as it sailed over James Brown in the middle of the box but Horwood had other ideas as he rushed to the left side of the box and sent a powerful volley past Dunn to make it 1-0 and seal his first goal for the Club.

The first goal signalled the opening of the floodgates for Pools and it was 2-0 within two minutes; a cheeky freekick from Horwood who sent the ball into the right channel of the box where Sweeney nipped in and slotted home through the legs of the visiting keeper.

And within five minutes of the opener, Pools were 3-0 up as Andy Monkhouse picked up the ball on the edge of the area and smashed it home to make sure of the victory.

Sub Denis Behan added his name to the scoresheet when he got on the end of a flick-on from Monkhouse to poke home past Dunn and make it 4-0 to Pools.

The remainder of the game was played out at a leisurely pace, with Pools playing keep-ball and Northampton struggling for enthusiasm.

Yantorno went close to making it five with a great touch and strike from distance but his effort was saved by Dunn and Pools had to setlle for four.

A solid and well-deserved victory for Pools will give the team confidence going into Saturday's League One clash at MK Dons.

Bookings: Northampton Town: Jacobs (58)

Att: 1359 (59 Northampton Town)

Pools: Flinders, Haslam, Collins, Liddle, Horwood, Sweeney, Murray (Humphreys 76), Gamble, Brown (Behan 71), Boyd (Yantorno 67), Monkhouse
Subs Not Used: McSweeney, Fredriksen

Northampton Town: Dunn, Rodgers, Hall (Beckwith 81), Thornton (McKay 67), Osman, Guinan, Holt, Wedderburn, Herbert (Davis 60), Jacobs, Harris
Subs Not Used: Jansson, Konstantinou