TWO DRAWS and then a home game to kick on. Yesterday was supposed to be a turning point in Hartlepool United’s season.

And how it was, but not in the way Ronnie Moore hoped for.

Three games in charge and new boss Moore has had enough of the current squad of players. Gutless he called them. Spineless he described the performance.

Defeat number 15 of the season leaves Pools eight points from the safety line with a goal difference of minus 26.

Other football teams win games. This one doesn’t and they never looked like it again on this occasion.

Moore has a list of players as long as his arm to talk to and try and attract to Victoria Park. It’s a tough task, but shipping these losers out and getting hardened footballers in is priority number one.

Morecambe, who lost to Carlisle at home on Boxing Day, coasted to victory. Their back three dominated, making clearance after clearance without as much as a challenge being offered.

Moore knew it was going to be tough playing rookie strikers up front in Joe Ironside and Scott Fenwick, but he couldn’t have envisaged just how tough.

“Same assessment as everyone else – gutless,’’ he said. “You can see why we are where we are.

“Bottom of the league and 4,100 fans in and where’s the desire and effort and willingness to run and chase. Every game I’ve said the same thing so far.

“I don’t blame the crowd for having a go after that.

“Where’s the desire to go and play? They are footballers. It astounds me. That’s the first time since I’ve been in here I’ve seen why we are where we are.

“The backroom staff have heart and want the club to do well. The players are frightened to fall out with each other and this is a man’s game.

“Save the club, save the club’s future. If we keep the same team then we are done and dusted and they only need to find one more team to go down.

“Hopefully we have three or four new faces in by the weekend, we keep knocking and we can’t have what we have seen today.’’

And Moore, whose half-time blast to his great under performers on Boxing Day at Mansfield did bring a positive response, admitted: “I’ve that horrible gut feeling. I really wanted to batter someone. I mean I’m gutted and I don’t see the same response from the players in the dressing room.

“No one has a go at each other, no-one says anything. I’ve called them gutless and what I’m saying here is what’s said in the dressing room. I’m normally a great believer in what’s said in the dressing room stays there, but not with this lot.

“’You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ said the fans and they are right.

“These players, whether they meant to or not, if they are in a normal job then they are sacked.’’

There was no bright start from Pools.

Scott Flinders made the first save on ten minutes, pushing a shot away from goal before Neil Austin – again way off his game – covered.

Pools first chance, and probably their only one all game, came when Matthew Bates humped a deep cross for Fenwick and he headed straight at keeper Scott Davies.

A minute later, and this was at a time Pools were competing in the game, they conceded.

Austin drifted inside and lost the ball, Jack Redshaw was allowed to cut in from the left onto his right foot and finish well, curling his shot around Flinders.

Response? It didn’t happen. When Michael Duckworth’s loose pass to Matthew Bates saw the centre half run the ball out for a corner it said everything.

So Pools kicked off for the second half, Brad Walker misplaced his sideways pass, the Shrimps attacked and won a corner.

Duckworth headed wide, climbing in the area to head a Jon Franks cross and it was one of the few occasions a Pools player won a header in the penalty area.

Number two game from a breakaway. Kevin Ellison flicked on, Bates stumbled, Redshaw finished.

Most of these players will be finished soon too.

“The window opens, new year and it all, is difficult. I would hate to think we go to Wycombe with what we have seen today,’’ said Moore, who will today enter talks with an experienced centre half.

“Let’s hope we can get players in to come and train with us for the weekend, but the hard part is to get them to come here.

“The crowd want them to do well, but without new blood in then it won’t happen.

He added: “I can’t stand up, put my hand up and try and kid everyone and say we were like Real Madrid- today we were like the Dog and Duck. Hopefully the players coming in will give them that help and leadership.

“We have made an awful lot of phone calls and we look at a lot of options. We will know a bit more tomorrow and then follow up with clubs and agents and hopefully get at least three in.

“I can’t go to war with what we have got today.’’

Midfielder Tommy Miller has suffered a set-back in his recovery from a calf injury and will have a scan today to determine the extent of the damage.