RUNNING out of time and games, Hartlepool United’s experienced voices need to make themselves heard.

Pools surrendered to a meek 2-0 defeat at Dagenham on Tuesday evening, on a night when three of their relegation rivals lost and the gap to safety was upped by a point to seven.

Moore apologised to supporters for the surrender, and ahead of Saturday’s home game with Burton – yet another must win game - then called on his older heads to call the shots.

The manager had a go at his great under-performers on Tuesday in London, and admitted: “We need leaders, who won’t accept it when people are having a bad day and not doing the right things.

“It’s all good me shouting and screaming at them, but there’s enough experience in there, enough in the dressing room to get on top of it.

“Harewood has been about at the top level, Flinders and Austin have been around – they have to be more vocal and if someone is not giving their all they need to be told and sometimes it’s better coming from a player than me.

“I could have throttled them at half-time on Tuesday, I had a right go at them as I felt their attitude was wrong and they weren’t producing.

“I’ve been around a long time and I could smell the fear factor at Dagenham. I came out and watched them warm up and it wasn’t right. There was no sound and, for me, I swear if we had got on top we would have won by four.

“Now instead we lose. We need away wins, we go to Tranmere and did well then we came to Dagenham and didn’t perform. We are capable of going and winning.

“It’s about trying to keep a clean sheet away from home, stay in the game, you might get a chance last minute. Get one at Dagenham, we get four.’’

Moore first went to town on his charges at half-time in the Boxing Day draw at Mansfield, when they turned their display around to earn a decent point after trailing.

It’s becoming a regular occurrence – Moore’s blasts, not turning game around from behind – and he admitted: “I’m getting a bit fed up of ranting and raving to be honest. We get beat and the players say ‘here we go again, what’s he shouting and screaming about today?’

“You’ve got to balance it out, you cannot keep it one way. I want to grab them round the throat at times.

“I could have sat in the dressing room all night and spoke about the game with them.

“We all want to see more, we all want more. Give us some desire. We start something by winning to get the gap down to six points, we start moving.

“Then we lose again and it’s seven, then we have to get it down. That’s the frustrating thing, we don’t claw it back.’’

Pools, meanwhile, will keep David Mirfin on loan from Scunthorpe. Tuesday was the last scheduled game of his initial month-long loan, but Iron boss Mark Robins said: “We have spoken to David and we will let him stay with Hartlepool.

“He is keen to keep playing and at this moment in time it is important that he keeps playing games, although we will have an instant recall on him.

“After his injury it was important that he got himself into a routine and rhythm again.”