McKeown's joy at being reunited with Clark at Pools

Corey McKeown said he was "buzzing" to score the winner on his Hartlepool debut – seven years after Pools boss Lee Clark handed him his first senior appearance at Blyth Spartans.

McKeown netted the only goal at Aldershot Town just 10 minutes after Clark brought him.

Clark was the winger's first manager at Blyth and McKeown was thrilled to be reunited with him at Hartlepool in the summer.

Hartlepool are fifth in the National League after winning their opening two matches and McKeown told BBC Radio Tees: "I'm absolutely buzzing. I missed out in the first game so I was ready to go on and take my chance.

"The manager just gave me confidence and said go on and change the game and thankfully I did that.

"He was my first-ever manager in adult football, he gave me my debut. It's absolutely amazing to be back with him seven years later.

"He was absolutely class for me when I was young, he was really encouraging and he's exactly the same now."

McKeown, 24, says he jumped at the chance to join Hartlepool on a free from Spennymoor Town when Clark moved for him.

"I was just focussed on getting the move into the professional game," he said. "I think it was his second day in the job when I got the text from him and Lids [first-team coach Gary Liddle].

"I was absolutely buzzing to get their message and from there, I just wanted to get the move done."