ONCE again Ronnie Moore is going into the weekend in hope rather than expectation of adding to his Hartlepool United squad.

The Pools boss has made three loan signings of late and, while the trio have all impressed and strengthened Pools, he wants more.

A striker is a priority, and, wary the number of loanees allowed in a matchday squad is limited to five, Moore is trying to balance things off.

However, he is confident of making a breakthrough on a centre-forward who would be a permanent recuit.

Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Shrewsbury, Moore admitted: “We are still waiting on a striker.

“The guy in question is in dispute with his club over whether they pay him up or not. They don’t want to do that at the moment, he wants to do that.

“We are stuck in between and we have to wait and see.

“He wants paying off, they don’t want to pay him off but they are willing to let him out on loan.

“We will just have to wait on that but I’d be surprised if it happens before the weekend.

“If it can I will do it.

“He is an experienced striker who will benefit us. We have Harewood back this week and it gives us another striker for two spots if we can bring him in.

“That brings added competitions but at this moment I don’t think that will happen until next week.”

Strikers are becoming available, with Portsmouth’s former Sunderland striker David Connolly yesterday came to a financial settlement over his stay at Fratton Park and signed for AFC Wimbledon, while Chris Porter is on his way out of Sheffield United for free.

Of the players he has landed – Aaron Tshibola, Rakish Bingham and Scott Harrison – Moore added: “I brought three lads in and they all contributed in their own way. I call Scott new, but people know him, Bingham up top with his pace and Tish in the middle with his strength and power.

“If we can add two more we are trying then it gives a lift.

“But it’s difficult it really is and it’s difficult because of where we are. The experienced players don’t really want to come here, or you can get one or two more inexperienced kids and in our situation do we need that?

“I’ve been very lucky so far with those three, but you don’t want too many and we go down the experienced route. If nothing happens for the weekend, then maybe we look at youth next week.’’

The Pools boss, ahead of last weekend’s first win in 13 games, issued a circular to League Two and Conference clubs listing a number of players who are available.

He’s had no response in the past seven days and likened his charges to the Dirty Dozen.

Moore said: “My phone has not been red hot.

“I think we all knew that wouldn’t happen but it sometimes lets the players know that we haven’t had a phonecall about anyone.

“So, they know but we have turned that corner now hopefully.

“There is one or two who are chirping up and it comes down to confidence.

“If you get into a routine where you are getting beat every week then it is going to affect your confidence.

“There is a lot of young ones about too and it can be difficult but you have to lift them.

“I have been critical in the past but gave them a pat on the back this week.

“If they give what they did against Cheltenham they won’t get criticism from me.

“We might not be the best individual players but you can certainly become a decent team as a group by sticking together and doing the right things and working hard, making opposition teams think they don’t want to play us.

“It is like the Dirty Dozen, we are going from the Dirty Dozen to the Great Escape.”