Boro centre-half moves to Pools for a month

The centre-half moved to Pools for a month this week and will play against Cheltenham in tomorrow’s FA Cup tie.

With Pools struggling for results and confidence, Moore has also added Crystal Palace midfielder Jake Gray to his ranks. The 21-year-old midfielder has seven goals in 12 games for their Under-21 side this season.

Moore is still on the lookout for more additions, but, for now, is content with the week’s signings.

The Pools’ boss took Ben Gibson from Boro to Tranmere in 2012 and that spell in the Football League meant Gibson retuned to the Riverside ready for their first-team.

“There’s a knock or two in the squad, but I don’t want to say for now. One or two are 60-40 against. It’s important to get new blood in,’’ said Moore.

“Adam can play, we spoke with Boro and he can play in the FA Cup. He gives us something extra, and I know we’ve spoke about experienced centre-backs regularly, but then if there’s none out there then you have to get the best kids in and that’s what we have done.

“He is strong and knows the game, reads it well – a bit like when I had Ben Gibson on loan at Tranmere. Luton won’t allow Magnus (Okhunghae) to play in the FA Cup and he also has an injury to his foot, so we have got a young lad in who is on top of his game at this time.’’

And Boro chief Karanka admitted: “The main thing is for the players is to play. Jacko is an amazing kid, he’s trained with us a lot of times and he’s a good kid.

“He’s 21, he needs to play, and for him it’s better for him to be at Hartlepool playing rather than being here training and playing in the U21s because I think he’s the kind of player that needs to step forward. He’s a good player but he needs to play.

“He was at Coventry for a month and he didn’t play, so we need to send him now to the right place and we think that Hartlepool is a good step for him.’’

Okounghae could play in next Sunday’s televised game with Orient, which is due to be the final game of his loan from Luton Town. He lasted only half an hour of last week’s defeat at Wimbledon, and X-rays have showed he has not suffered a broken metatarsal.

Moore admitted: "The chairman has been fantastic saying we can go out to bring in whoever you want to bring in.

"We have the backing there. Hopefully these two or three we're getting in will bring a bit of fresh air. Adam will give us a bit of energy, enthusiasm, a bit of life in there.

"There are one or two who are a little nervous at this time."

Moore had Alan Tate on trial for two weeks, but the County Durham-born former Swansea centre-half wasn’t offered a deal at Pools and this week signed for Port Talbot.

The Pools boss yesterday revealed his concerns and admitted: "He has great experience but I was more concerned about mobility more than anything else.

"It's all well and good having someone who can talk and direct things, but we don't want to be getting caught with balls over the top.

"That was my feeling, I wasn't too happy that we might have been found out pace-wise.

"Alan has had a tremendous career, but sometimes you have to look at the situation.

"Yes he's experience but we can't afford to be caught out by one ball over the top.

"I just felt we haven't got that much pace at the back anyway so that's the reason really."

Pools were woeful at Wimbledon last weekend and their fortunes have dramatically dropped after winning four from four at the start of the campaign.

"When you make so many signings it's difficult, you are very lucky if they all gel,’’ reflected Moore.

"We thought we'd got the jackpot when we won those first four games of the season.

"But it does take time and I don't think our supporters or me have seem the best of some of our new signings.

"There are one or two who are may be lacking a bit of confidence and have not produced what we know they can.

"It's up to me to get that out of them now, but if we can't get it at this moment, we have to move on, we can't wait forever.