RONNIE Moore is sure there’s more to come from two Hartlepool United debutants.

Striker Marvin Morgan arrived last week from Plymouth along with Scunthorpe centre-half David Mirfin.

Both have not played much football this season, Mirfin sidelined with injury and Morgan mainly on the bench for the Pilgrims.

They will start this evening as Pools take on Northampton at Victoria Park and Moore admitted: "The new lads look like they need games, but there is more to come from them.

"Mirf is a quality defender and he is to help those two young kids develop but we need to get a little bit more from Morgan on Saturday’s evidence.

"The two kids at the back (Scott Harrison and Dan Jones) will only get better playing alongside Mirf.

"Scott got frustrated, he made the rick for allowing the cross and that frustration came out with his tackle a few moments later. He was lucky he didn't get sent off.

"They have to learn but we are running out of games and individual errors have cost us dear.’’

Mirfin, part of Scunthorpe’s promotion-winning side last season, said: “It’s my first full game of the season, my last full 90 was at the end of last season, so it was a good mental hurdle for me to overcome too.

“We had a lot to do, it was a busy start for us all. They would have possession and create chances, but we limited them and defended well. Scotty came off with nothing much to do.

“It’s disappointing to come off after working hard all game with a defeat, not only as a back three but as a team. It would have been a good point away from home, 0-0 with a clean sheet.

“I was impressed with the lads at the back, they have played a few games and hopefully I can help them with my experience and they can benefit from it.

“I think they both can have good careers in the game and hopefully they can do a job this season to help keep the club in the league.

“I’ve come in from Scunthorpe and hopefully I can help with my experience and I played a lot of games last season in a promotion team.’’

He added: “The mood in the dressing room is good, I think they’ve had a good four or five games before I came in and picked up points, which helps. There’s a lot of young lads and they can be a bit naive in that they maybe don’t realise the situation they are in, enjoy their football and get on with it.’’

Matthew Bates is likely to miss out tonight with a dead leg, so Nicky Featherstone will start in midfield, while Aaron Tshibola is a doubt with a groin strain.

Moore said: "We will wait and see on the formation, see whose injured and who is fit.

"Tshibola played but his groin was really tight.

"We want players who are determined to play but you could tell he wasn't as good as he has been.

"The strikers that play, doesn't matter on the formation, if they don't hold the ball you won't score too many goals."