Villarreal coach Ernesto Valverde hailed their 5-0 victory over Tenerife as a "great result" but refused to get too carried away with the scoreline, admitting it flattered his side.

Sunday night's triumph at El Madrigal was Villarreal's biggest league win since downing Celta Vigo by the same score back in May 2003, and earned the Yellow Submarine their second successive victory having previously taken just three points from their opening seven games.

The result helped Villarreal climb out of the relegation zone and up to 13th place, and it also eased some of the pressure on new coach Valverde after that dismal start to the campaign.

Valverde said after the match: "We needed to win and to do it in two successive games is not easy. Taking away the result, the match has not been easy because Tenerife were a good team."

Villarreal took an early lead through Joseba Llorente but they were somewhat fortunate to still be ahead at the break as visitors Tenerife created four decent openings to get back on level terms, with Alejandro Alfaro (twice), Nino and Julian Omar all going close.

The home side then decided the game in a stunning six-minute spell immediately after half-time, though, when Robert Pires, Giuseppe Rossi and Llorente all scored, before Ruben Cani added a fifth late on.

"Tenerife made things very hard for us at the start and, of the teams who have come to El Madrigal, they are the ones who have played the best. But we were very effective. I'm not going to deny that it is a great result, but we need to be reasonable about it," added Valverde.

Tenerife have now lost all five of their away matches since winning promotion back to the top flight, scoring just once and conceding 15 times in the process, but coach Jose Luis Oltra felt his side were hard done-by.

"In the first half we were better than them, but in six minutes they have scored three goals. It's an unfair and undeserved defeat and one that hurts us a lot," he said.