Second-half goals from Jordi Gomez and Victor Moses added to an early own goal by Sam Collins to give the final scoreline a slightly flattering look.

Martinez said: "I am very pleased with many aspects. We showed energy and performance and we are starting to do things we were working on in the summer.

"In the Premier League we've been doing good things but at the wrong time. Today we did it at the right time and we are slowly gelling together."

Martinez brought on wantaway striker Charles N'Zogbia for the last 11 minutes and insisted he had no new information about the player's future.

Martinez added: "Nobody knows - it's the nature of the transfer window. I think it's ridiculous to be in the start of the campaign playing competitive games and the window isn't even closed.

"At the moment we have a couple of players who are a little bit up in the air. They don't know where their future lies and that is going to affect you but that is the nature of the game."

One bleak spot for Martinez was a last-minute ankle injury suffered by substitute Moses which is likely to rule him out of next weekend's trip to Tottenham.

"It's unfortunate that we picked up a silly injury at the end and that is a big negative point. It was a really nasty tackle from behind but it's too early to tell the extent."

Hartlepool caretaker-boss Mick Wadsworth described the final scoreline as harsh. Wadsworth added: "If you'd have dropped down from Mars you'd struggle to know who the Premier League team was."

Meanwhile Wadsworth appeared to distance himself from the possibility of taking on the manager's job full-time despite his side's unbeaten start to their league season.

Wadsworth said: "The chairman has got to decide if he wants someone from outside and I'll just carry on until then. I've heard nothing to the contrary.

"I've really enjoyed working here and what I enjoy more than anything is the training ground. I've never worn a tracksuit in my whole life in the dugout. I feel pushing 60 I'm a tracksuit coach."