Hartlepool United transfer latest as Paul Hartley updates on ins and outs at the Suit Direct Stadium

Pools earned their second point of the season against Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday but once again displayed their flaws in the final third with a lack of clinical finishing ultimately the difference between taking all three points and having to settle for one.

Hartley has been constant in his message in recent weeks that adding to his final third remains the priority, with winger Wes McDonald the latest addition to that area of the field after the 25-year-old made an encouraging debut against Tranmere.

But with, as it stands, 15 new players through the door at the Suit Direct Stadium this summer, Hartley now has decisions to make with his squad each week with certain players having to miss out.

Against Tranmere, both Tom Crawford and Mark Shelton were left out by Hartley, who admitted ahead of the trip to Northampton Town that Pools may not be finished with outgoings, as well as incomings.

“If players are not playing, they want to play. I can only pick 11 every week,” Hartley said.

“That happens within a football club, if you’re not playing you’re going to have players who want to try and find first team football. I may find that, I may not.

Asked on what is missing from the squad, Hartley added: “Just a little bit more in the final third, a bit more quality, speed and goals.

“That’s the difference. You’re only as good as your front players sometimes and we’ve certainly been a little bit short in the last couple of games.

“But if we can take our chances, and find a little bit of luck, hopefully we can win more games.”

One thing which has remained clear throughout the Football League this summer is that it appears to have been a difficult market to do business in, and Pools are no different in that respect.

Despite wholesale changes at the club, Hartley has been left frustrated, at times, after declaring he has missed out on one or two targets in recent weeks.

“It’s not always easy getting a top player into League Two.

“You’re after someone who’s maybe got something to prove, or someone you could maybe make better, or you get a nugget on loan that you think can be a little gem for you - that’s the type of player we’re looking at,” Hartley recently explained.

“It’s no disrespect to League Two, that’s just the way it is. The top players play at the top level for a reason.

“The results we obviously want to be better, but it’s a work in progress,” he added.

“There’s been such a turnaround in players at the club. I’ll be glad when the window shuts then we can really settle down and get the team how I want us to play and get everybody gelled quickly.

“If I can get this team firing on all cylinders I think we’ve got a lot of good players here. It’s just trying to get them together and get my points and my ideas across and getting us working the way I want us to work.”