Scunthorpe's hopes of success in the Carling Cup have ended for another year, after they were clinically dispatched by Hartlepool United in the first round at Victoria Park.

The hosts enjoyed more luck going forward, and scored through Joel Porter and David Foley early in the second-half before a superb third strike from James Brown sealed the success for the North East club.

The Pools edged a first half in which the Iron also had chances of their own - but Nigel Adkins' side had no answers to a clinical Hartlepool in the second period though.

The Iron went into the game making just one change from the team which lost 2-1 at home to Leeds United on Saturday.

Jonathan Forte started up front in place of the injured Paul Hayes, who suffered an ankle injury against the Whites on Saturday.

Josh Lillis started the match in goal, with Cliff Byrne, Izzy Iriekpen, Kenny Milne and Marcus Williams occupying the defensive positions.

The midfield lined up with Garry Thompson, Ian Morris, Grant McCann and Kevan Hurst, while Gary Hooper partnered Forte in attack.

Due to it being a Carling Cup game there were seven substitutes - Ben May, Matt Sparrow, Andrew Wright, Michael Lea, Peter Winn, Jake Picton and the veteran goalkeeper Kevin Pressman. Former Iron loanee Ritchie Humphreys lined up for the Pools.

The playmaker McCann had the first chance of the game four minutes in when he curled in a left-footed free-kick from 25 yards which drifted just wide of Arran Lee-Barrett's bottom left-hand post.

Up until then United had pressed well, getting good crosses into the box which tested the home defence.

Straight from the restart though, Hartlepool had their first chance of the game when James Brown headed wide after a cross from Matty Robson.

The hosts had another decent opportunity ten minutes in when Porter headed wide after getting in the end of a delivery from Alan Power.

Scunthorpe had the best chance of the game so far on 17 minutes when Hooper advanced down the left and sent the ball into the box for Thompson, who drilled his effort just wide of Lee-Barrett's bottom right-hand corner, and beyond the advancing lunge of Forte.

The home team were coming more into it as the half wore on though, and were inches away from going ahead on 34 minutes when Brown's effort from 25 yards was tipped wide by Lillis.

The Scunthorpe custodian then made a fine double save, firstly parrying out a header from Sam Collins from the subsequent corner, and then getting up quickly to tip out a piledriver from Porter.

Hooper had the visiting side's next chance on 40 minutes when he latched on to a Forte flick on to try and lift an effort over Lee-Barrett. His lob drifted well wide of goal though.

With two minutes of the opening period left, Lillis was called into action once more - saving well from another Collins bullet header.

It proved to be the last chance of the opening half, but it didn't take too long for them to go ahead in the second.

Prior to their first goal, though, Sparrow replaced Morris in the centre of midfield for the first Scunthorpe change of the night.

The Pools took the lead on 51 minutes through Porter, who headed home a centre by Power to put his team a goal to the good. The hosts would go on to stamp their authority on the game as the second period progressed.

The away side made their second change of the game three minutes later when May replaced Forte in attack, but the striker was to have little impact as the hosts soon made it two.

Porter raced down the right and passed the ball past the onrushing Lillis to Foley, who sidefooted into an empty net from 12 yards to double the host's lead. It was he, of course, who scored a brace in a game between the two sides at the same stage last year to end the Iron's Carling Cup involvement prematurely.

Shortly after, Hurst curled well wide with an effort which typified the Iron's night.

It could have then been three for the hosts, but Iriekpen cleared off the line after Power's drive from the edge of the area had beat Lillis.

There was another Iron alteration as Milne, who was struggling with a knock before the game, came off to be replaced by Wright - Byrne switched to centre-back in the Scot's absence.

Hurst drew a decent stop from Lee-Barrett on 73 minutes with a low angled drive from the right, but three minutes later Danny Wilson's Hartlepool added to their lead through Brown.

The cultured midfielder curled a superb effort beyond Lillis from 25 yards as the on-form home team threatened to run riot.

Foley had a chance to make it four but Lillis - arguably the Iron's man of the match - tipped out well at his bottom left-hand post.

Substitute May had one last chance to pull a goal back for Scunthorpe, but he dragged his shot wide of goal after doing well to chest down and get a cross into the box under his control.

It was a disappointing evening for Scunthorpe, who are next in action on Saturday when they visit Walsall for their second league game of the new season.

Attendance: 2,076.

Full reaction and photography will follow in the early hours.