RONNIE MOORE moved yesterday to secure Middlesbrough youngster Brad Halliday on a month’s loan to solve Hartlepool United’s right-back problems ahead of Saturday’s long trip to Exeter City.

The 20-year-old was York City’s player of the year last season when he impressed in a struggling side during a loan stint and that has persuaded Pools to act swiftly.

Moore was desperate for a new addition ahead of the game at Exeter because of Michael Duckworth’s injury and the suspension of Carl Magnay, who was sent off at Wycombe last weekend.

Hartlepool are in need of a lift after losing three games in a row - five in all competitions - and the boss thinks Halliday can slot straight in and perform despite his tender age.

"He's a young lad but he has good experience of League Two,” said Moore, who is looking for a further addition sooner rather than later.

“At this present time we haven't got a fit right-back in the club and I don't think Nicky Featherstone wants to play there!

“I'd still like a midfielder. I think we need energy and legs and the options to play 4-3-3, 3-5-2. It's an area I'm looking at. The midfielder? Hopefully next week I'll have something sorted.”

The need for a new full-back became even more pressing after Stuart Parnaby hobbled out of a midweek return to action with a calf problem.

After just five appearances since joining in the summer of last year, his latest set-back was enough to convince him to retire from football at a time when he hoped to persuade Moore to hand him a new contract.

The 33-year-old has suffered a horrendous run of injuries during a career taking in Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Hartlepool since breaking on to the scene as a teenager at the Riverside. He was part of the Boro side which reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006.

Moore had hoped he would be fit enough to provide back-up to his squad while working with physio Ian Gallagher to get his new business venture in sports injury rehabilitation up and running.

“We spoke obviously after the Scunthorpe game and he was disappointed,” said Moore. “Stuart would have been excellent cover for that right back slot. He has been unfortunate at this club with injuries. He hasn’t had a calf injury during his career and he has done it and that was enough for him to call it a day.

“It can happen in football and that’s why you should always enjoy playing while you can. You never know when your last game might come along.

“It will be up to him if he stays on to help with the physio side of things. He has good rehab programmes he is working on and he will be welcome to stay around if he wants. He is getting in to his own business and he has some great ideas, so we will probably have a chat with him and see what he thinks.”

As well as the right-back situation, Hartlepool have concerns over the fitness of strikers Billy Paynter and Rakish Bingham. A decision will be made today whether to involve them at Exeter after suffering hamstring problems.

After a disappointing run of defeats, Moore could have done without having the doubts surrounding two of his key men.

He said: “It doesn’t help if we have got these two out because we are doing well at the other end of the field. It’s the other end (the defensive) that is not so good at the moment.

“We can’t do much about those injuries. We are lucky to have one or two forwards. But if you lose your two main strikers then it doesn’t help. We have worked a lot on the defensive side and hopefully we can get back to clean sheets.”

He added: “Paynts is probably 60-40 and is struggling with his hammy. He has done nothing all week, so maybe a week’s rest will help him. Bingham has a slight hamstring problem as well.

“We will be right down to the last minute with those. Harry Worley has a sceptic toe as well, so we have to see the outcome on these (before travelling down to Exeter on Friday).”