RONNIE Moore planned to send a young side to face Dunston this evening. But such are the defensive problems within his squad, the Hartlepool United manager will be fielding a strong side.

Pools have shipped nine goals in two pre-season friendlies, losing 4-0 to Scunthorpe last week before going down 5-3 at Gateshead on Saturday.

Playing 3-5-2, Pools have made basic errors in the back line which have proved costly.

And, with the season starting a week on Saturday when Pools take on Morcambe at Victoria Park and only one more friendly before that – against Chesterfield at Victoria Park on Saturday – Moore will make the most of tonight’s match.

“I am looking for a massive improvement this week,” Moore admitted. “If we play the same way against Chesterfield we are going to get battered.

“There will be no days off this week. We need to get this back three right.

“We know defending starts up front but that was nothing to do with the goals conceded against Gateshead.

“The goals were all through the centre of our defence, or a lot of them.

“They were bad, bad goals to concede.”

Rakish Bingham and Ebby Nelson-Addy will be in the club shop on Friday morning to meet fans as the new home kit goes on sale.

Bingham and Nelson-Addy will be around from 9am on Friday to greet the first Pools supporters to get their hands on the 2015/16 home shirt.

The duo will sign autographs and pose for pictures before heading to training to at Durham.

The new home kit, again manufactured by Nike, was unveiled earlier this month and has been met with a positive response with hundreds placing pre-orders of their kit via the club's online store.