MATCH VERDICT: FC Halifax Town 3-3 Hartlepool United (4-2 on penalties)

Luke Summerfield's penalty and Gevaro Nepomuceno's fierce finish put Town into a 2-0 lead before Luke Williams's spot kick brought Hartlepool back into it.

Nicky Featherstone then levelled from the spot after Jeff King was sent off for handball.

Billy Chadwick put Town back in-front on his debut, but Hartlepool again equalised through substitute Gavin Holohan.

As if there hadn't been enough penalties already, it was decided with a shoot-out, with Chadwick capping his debut with the winning penalty, followed by Hartlepool's decisive miss.

Pete Wild changed systems to the 4-2-3-1 of the first-half of last season and it seemed to fit his side like a glove.

Having the width of debutant Chadwick, announced on loan from Hull shortly before kick-off, and Nepomuceno high and wide gave Town's attacks a fresh dimension.

Birthday boy King and Jack Senior also got forward effectively, with Senior particularly impressive down the left side.

Nyal Bell provided a good focal point up-front, while Jack Earing was full of energy and got into some positions in his number 10 role.

It was like a flashback to the early weeks of last season, when Dave Challinor's Fylde were among the teams stylishly swept aside by The Shaymen.

They lost 4-1 that day, and Challinor may have been fearing a repeat as Town raced into a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes.

After Nepomuceno was fouled to the left of the Hartlepool box, Summerfield lashed in from the spot to cap an excellent first 10 minutes from Halifax.

Nepomuceno then took Summerfield's crossfield pass in his stride and blasted into the top corner.

Most of Town's play had gone through Nepomuceno, who seemed to revel in his left-wing role, while on the other flank, Chadwick saw plenty of the ball too and worked hard to funnel back when out of possession.

There were other efforts too, blocked or off target from around the edge of the box, as Hartlepool failed to string a coherent move of their own together.

Hartlepool couldn't live with pace and imagination of The Shaymen's attacks, but a low shot at the near post from a left-wing cross was comfortably saved by Sam Johnson was a warning that the visitors were about to hit back.

Ryan Donaldson's header from a right-wing cross hit Neill Byrne on the arm, and from the spot, Williams halved the deficit.

The penalty brought Hartlepool out of their shells a little, and they slowly started to grow into the game, getting better as the half came to a close, while Halifax struggled to maintain their earlier attacking threat.

Josh Macdonald, back at his former club for the first time, got into some good crossing positions but was shadowed well by Senior.

There was no such quick start to the second half from Town in what was now a much more even contest.

Pools were now competing a lot better, more aggressive defensively and better in possession.

Halifax weren't as dominant, playing more on the break.

It was now a game of cat and mouse, with Town bringing on the pace of Jamie Allen to exploit any gaps as Hartlepool pressed for an equaliser.

The game then exploded back into life when king was given an unwanted birthday card as he was sent-off for handball in the box, and half-time substitute Featherstone converted from the penalty spot.

But moments later, Chadwick produced a terrific low drive across goal into the bottom corner to put the ten-men in-front.

However, substitute Holahan equalised for Hartlepool with a great finish across goal into the top corner as the game turned into an absolute slug-fest as the heavens opened at The Shay.

Luke Armstrong and Donaldson both went close for the visitors, while Chadwick had another low shot saved.

Featherstone found the net again from the spot for Pools, as did Armstrong.

But fittingly, Chadwick netted the winning penalty on an impressive debut, with Donaldson firing over Hartlepool's second and then Holohan blasting Hartlepool's fourth high over the bar, with Jack Senior, Summerfield, and Niall Maher also scoring from the spot.

Town also won a penalty shoot-out after a 3-3 draw, against Gateshead, when they won the FA Trophy in 2016.

Not a bad omen.

Halifax: Johnson, Byrne, Maher, King, Senior, Summerfield, Woods (Green 78), Earing, Nepomuceno (Williams 69), Chadwick, Bell (Allen 61). Subs not used: Davison-Hale, Bradbury, Tear, Tear, Danns

Scorers: Summerfield (11), Nepomuceno (14), Chadwick (74)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 11

Corners: 2

Hartlepool: Ravas, Cass, Johnson, Magloire, Parkhouse (Holohan 65), Macdonald (Grey 60), Donaldson, Williams (Featherstone 46), Crawford, Armstrong, Bunney. Subs not used: Killip, Oates, Odusina, Bloomfield.

Scorers: Williams (27), Featherstone (73), Holohan (78)

Shots on target: 7

Shots off target: 2

Corners: 3

Referee: Steven Copeland

Town man of the match: Jack Earing. Notable mentions for Luke Summerfield and debutant Billy Chadwick, but Earing nicks it for a superb display full of running, inventiveness and creativity.