TWO weeks ago, Ronnie Moore worked all week on a deal and had to wait until Friday evening to complete it. The Hartlepool United boss is hoping for the same again tonight.

Magnus Okuonghae arrived from Luton, meeting up with the Pools squad at their team hotel as they prepared for the game at Dagenham.

Moore has been chasing a midfielder from a Championship club this week and admitted: “A new one would come straight in, but it’s looking like it’s going to be late again. We did that with Magnus.

“Teams want to hold on and hold on and we have names to consider and a lot of names to consider. But I’m not going to bring a young kid in from a Premier League team for the sake of it.’’

Pools set off this morning for tomorrow’s game at Wimbledon (2pm kick-off), where they need to respond after a poor show in losing to Crawley.

Moore is loathe to sign a young prospect for a higher division’s Academy for the sake of it just to add to the numbers.

“Bring one in, then you think why? It’s got to be right and better than what you’ve got. They have to be better in terms of ability,’’ he said.

“I can’t leave someone out, find out the kid isn’t good enough and then go cap in hand to the lad I’ve let out and get him back in.

“There’s a lot out there. We all want the best, but it’s hard as a manager, it’s like a game of chess and you can’t change for the sake of changing.

“Do we have enough players to make as many changes as I would like? It’s not down to shape last week, it’s down to the players.

“I took two off at half-time last week and could have done more. We are Hartlepool United, not Manchester United and if you have eight or nine players who aren’t up and at it you aren’t going to win too many games.’’

Moore added: "It's one thing saying it, but the problem is getting players in to take their places.

"People are probably fed up hearing what we are trying to do, but it's as hard as it's ever been to bring an experienced guy in.

"There are hundreds of young and inexperienced kids out there, but the physicality won't match what's needed in League Two, because they are used to pretty tippy-tappy football.

"At 5ft 8in, 5ft 9in, they would come here and get smashed

"We are trying to get more experience in there. I've been trying yesterday to get a lad in from the Championship, I'm still waiting and hopeful that we can get him in.

"He's got a presence, he's a 6ft 4in centre-midfielder.

"At this moment, we are still waiting.

"We're in the lap of the gods with their chairman saying yes at what we can afford.’’

Harrison will sit out tomorrow’s game, serving a one-game suspension for handball last week.

Many felt the decision by referee Mark Heywood was a harsh one, and Pools felt an appeal would go against them.

"We looked at it and nearly appealed,’’ said Moore. "We looked at it closely but when we slowed it down, you can just see when Scotty turns and he goes side on, his arm does come up and the ball hits him.

"You can see why the decision was given.’’

Alan Tate, the former Swansea centre-half, has been training with the club for two weeks and played in Wednesday’s Durham Challenge Cup win over Willington.

He fits the bill in terms of an experienced head at the back and Moore said: "He's come in but he's played very little football and it takes time when you have not been very active.

"It's food for thought for me.

"I need to sit and analyse what we've seen and the sit and analyse whether it's been good enough to play at this level.

"It's a decision I will probably look to come to early next week."