Lennie Lawrence tasted defeat in his first match in permanent charge of Hartlepool United when Pools lost 5-3 at York City.
Pools, with their new management team of Lawerence, Anthony Limbrick and Gavin Skelton in the dugout, had their moments at the LNER Community Stadium, but were unable to keep the National League pacesetters in check.
The Minstermen looked every inch the league leaders with an excellent first-half display, after which they led 2-0, but the second period was much brighter for the Sky Blues with David Ferguson, Luke Charman and Mani Dieseruvwe all on target.
York, attacking the away end, controlled the early stages and could have gone in front on six minutes when Ricky Aguiar was found in the area, but the ball would not sit down for him and Brad Young gathered.
Pools had just seen possession for the first time with a wayward Charman shot when the Minstermen took the lead.
Billy Sass-Davies missed his attempted clearance, allowing Pearce to go clear and find Young’s left corner on 19 minutes.
Pools did begin to grow into the game though Adam Campbell shot well wide and Joe Grey could not quite get on the end of an exquisite through ball by Nicky Featherstone.
Ex-York skipper David Ferguson fired high over the bar after a promising move and the left-back set up a chance for Campbell in the 39th minute.
It looked odds on Pools would equalise but Harrison Male produced a blinding save from Campbell’s close-range header.
As is often the case, having been denied at one end, Pools leaked one at the other on 43 minutes.
Pools conceded a free-kick 25 yards out, from which Alex Hunt found the left side of Young’s net.
There was almost a third right on the 45-minute mark when Young saved low to his left from Tyrese Sinclair after the keeper had cleared directly to the home attack.
After the break, Charman saw a shot from the edge of the box tipped over by Male but the Sky Blues number 11 soon made his mark in the 50th minute.
The forward put a great ball across the six-yard box which Ferguson, having stayed up from a corner, scored with his left foot from the centre of the area.
Pools piled on the pressure for an immediate equaliser and the under-pressure Minstermen held out just, with Dieseruvwe having a shot blocked while Grey was denied by the keeper.
Featherstone then fired over and Charman had a shot blocked before Adam Hinshelwood’s table toppers scored their third against the run of play.
It was a beauty too on 67 minutes via a stunning shot from substitute Ashley Nathaniel-George around 25 yards out.
York wrapped up the points in the 86th minute when another sub, Dipo Akinyemi headed in from a left-wing corner.
However, Pools responded immediately when Charman scored his second goal of the season, with his deflected shot from the edge of the area finding the York net to make it 4-2.
Pools were almost back in it during the final minute of normal time when a Charman cross-come-shot flashed wide following an exciting run from Roshaun Mathurin.
York added a fifth in the 95th minute from the penalty spot as Luca Thomas went down and Pearce smashed home.
It wasn’t the end of the goalfest and seconds later, Dieseruvwe scored with a nice finish from the edge of the box.
The referee called time on proceedings immediately after kick-off, with York running out 5-3 winners.
Pools: Young, Dodds, Sass-Davies, Parkes, Ferguson, Sheron, Featherstone (Sloggett 80), Grey (Mathurin 69), Campbell (Mancini 69), Charman, Dieseruvwe
Subs (not used): Smith, Onariase, Stephenson, Steel
