Luton Town manager Mike Newell took sweet revenge for his summer sacking by visitors Hartlepool United as his team ran out 3-2 winners.
The Hatters sprinted into a three-goal lead inside the first 23 minutes but had to hang on at the end after a fightback from the visitors.
Luton's Steve Howard, whose future has been the subject of speculation all week, took just six minutes to open the scoring pouncing on the rebound after Gary McSheffrey's shot had been blocked.
Eight minutes later McSheffrey got onto the score sheet himself when he controlled a Courtney Pitt throughball on his chest and lifted it over Pools goalkeeper Jim Provett to make it two.
With 23 minutes on the clock the Hatters made it three when McSheffrey floated over a free-kick for Howard to head home, and a rout looked on the cards.
Howard should have completed his hat-trick on the 30-minute mark, but saw his header rebound back off the crossbar.
Six minutes before the interval Darrell Clarke gave Pools a lifeline when he bundled the ball over the line from Paul Robinson's mis-directed shot.
After the break the Hatters poured forward in search of a fourth but found Provett and centre half Chris Westwood in top form.
Nineteen minutes from time Steven Istead was brought down in the Hatters penalty box and Robinson scored from the spot to put Hartlepool in sight of a point.
Pools pushed on in search of an equaliser but the Luton backline held firm and much to the satisfaction of Newell held on for all three points.