RONNIE MOORE, the Hartlepool United manager, is sick of repeating himself week after week: “I keep coming in to talk to the press every week and all we could do is put the same tape on from last time and no-one need turn up to talk.

“It’s basically the same story each week and that tells you things aren’t right.’’

Last weekend’s defeat to Crawley led Moore to blast his players as “disgraceful”. How he would enjoy the chance to lavish praise on his under-performers.

Pools go to Wimbledon this afternoon and, while they triumphed in their last away game, winning 1-0 at Dagenham two weeks ago, Moore is demanding a response to last weekend’s pitiful reverse.

“It’s rare to get nine players not on their game, you may get two or three,’’ he said.

“But worst scenario is run about, get a sweat on, no matter how bad a time you are getting, it doesn’t stop you from running about, making tackles and being involved in the game.

“Give your all. It’s my, as a fan, hard-earned money and I’ve worked all week and I want to come and support Hartlepool United – my team.

“So at least I expect is effort – have some joy with a bit extra class then great. I said last week that I would have gone beserk if I’d paid £20.’’

Today’s opponents are as inconsistent as Pools are. While Pools won at Dagenham, they followed it up with a home draw to Barnet and then the defeat against Crawley. Inconsistency is King at Victoria Park.

Wimbledon lost their last home game, then went and won their two shows on the road.

"It's going to be hard,’’ Moore mused. "People talk about Wimbledon and how they bosh it.

"But I've watched their last few games and that's not what they are about.

"They have pace and ability. OK, they concede goals but they can score them.

"Look at their last three games? They lose 5-2 at home to Morecambe, they win 4-3 at Accrington and won 3-1 at York.

"They have goals in their side and we have to make sure we are at our best defensively.

“We know it’s tough, I’ve never been there before so it’s new for me and it’s interesting to see what it’s like. The big thing is that if we can’t win then don’t lose.

“Be competitive in the right areas, do that and we are OK.

“They have moved up in the table in a week – it’s an important week we’ve just had. They lose at home 5-2, then go to Accrington and score four to win and then win at York. It shows two wins and it’s all good.

He added: "If we win we could be 12th. It's how you look at it, is your glass half-empty or half full?

"Three points puts us to half-way and if we lose and teams gain ground then we're closer to the bottom.

"There's nothing between the teams for me from the top to the bottom.

"On our day we can beat anyone, but we have to stop the silly goals or allowing the teams to get behind us with one ball."

Draws have been a rarity for Pools this season. It’s all or nothing for Moore’s squad, with only two draws – both at home – from 15 outings in League Two.

A 0-0, a clean sheet and a point to take home would suit the Pools boss no end – and a few more in the coming weeks and months wouldn’t go amiss either.

“You can’t keep making excuses for people, we have to be consistent and, as a team we’ve not been consistent for two seasons,’’ he reflected.

“I mean by that if you can’t win then draw. We win three, lose five. Or we lose four , win three. We don’t dig in and make sure worst scenario is a draw.

“Over a season, eight draws instead of two and you block those losses off then it makes a massive difference with those extra points.

“They are good points over a season, you look back and appreciated them. We should have come b back from Exeter with one and instead we lost the game in the 89th minute.

“We concede too many late on in a game and it’s not down to fitness – they work hard and we can’t work them any harder.

“It comes down to mental concentration and we have conceded when someone’s sleeping and then you lose the game.

“You can’t legislate for that, it’s down to the players being switched on and focused for 90 minutes.’’