WHEN Exeter City stopped early League Two pacesetters Leyton Orient in their tracks a week ago, Ronnie Moore was not surprised; nor did it have him running scared ahead of this afternoon’s long trek to the west country.

The Grecians have moved up in to a play-off place after six matches courtesy of bringing an end to Orient’s 100 per cent start to the campaign with a 4-0 win, which is hardly the sort of result to hearten a Hartlepool United side nursing three straight defeats in the league.

But that does not concern Moore too much. He thinks Exeter’s victory is merely further evidence of just what life in League Two can be like having seen his own side struggle to find a victory after starting the campaign with a three-match winning streak themselves.

“We can win five and lose five in this league,” said Moore, who is expected to throw new loan signing Brad Halliday straight in at right-back at St James’ Park. “I can see that being the same this season.

“There is no outstanding side, Orient had gone five on the trot, but anyone on their day can do it. Portsmouth and Accrington ... there’s a coupon buster – but anyone can beat anyone, they really can.

“It’s just as easy to get on a winning run as it is to get on a losing one. We have to put that wedge in. We can’t get that draw at the moment. We have to learn how to see games out and come away with a point.

“A point is not the end of the world, they move you up the table but it is a learning curve ... we have a lot of young kids still in there. We should have seen it out against Carlisle. But it is down to us to put that right. There is no panic. We know where it is going wrong.”

Hartlepool have conceded seven goals during their recent league slump, while they also shipped four against Bournemouth in the Capital One Cup. It is the defensive aspect of his side’s play which he has looked to improve along with assistant Sam Collins.

That is why he was so keen to bring in Halliday - York City’s player of the year last season - on loan from Middlesbrough to fill the void left by the injured Michael Duckworth and the suspended Carl Magnay. It will be hoped hamstring concerns for strikers Rakish Bingham and Billy Paynter do not reduce Hartlepool’s attacking threat too.

Moore said: "It's not like we've played particularly badly, both the league games we've lost we could have won, or certainly got something from it. We know where we're lacking - we are not defending as well as we can, as individuals and as a team. As soon as we get that part right, we'll be off and running.”

But the former Tranmere and Rotherham manager does think his players need to stop over-complicating things in their own half.

He said: "They know what's needed and it's a lot of hard work. We kept three clean sheets at the start of the season and we’re not doing anything differently, training has been exactly the same.

"We're back to A-B-C stuff, defending in the right areas. Every little mistake we're making at the moment is ending in the back of our net, but it won't be like that for the rest of the season.

"We've got to make sure we get that centre of defence right. But we've had opportunities.. The pleasing thing for me is that we're creating chances.

“I know defending starts up front but what we've been working on is that defensive part, we're letting people turn in the box, crosses are coming in too easy.”