Don’t take struggling Dagenham & Redbridge for granted warns Hartlepool boss Ronnie Moore

He takes his team to London’s East End on the back of three straight defeats to high-performing sides.

Hosts Dagenham & Redbridge are, like Pools, not in the best of touches.

On paper, it is a game where three points should be the target, but Moore says the points have to be earned - they are not a formality.

“It is a big match, but you need to try to win every game,” said the manager.

“There are no easy matches, you can’t tell me Dagenham is going to be easier than this.

“You could not pick any game in this division and say it’s going to be easy.”

It’s vital Pools do not come a cropper against the Daggers

And Moore says Pools can’t afford another slow opening like the one they produced at Northampton Town on Saturday.

The side were 2-0 down in the first 21 minutes and it could have been worse but for Marc Richards and Ryan Cresswell missing free headers and Brad Halliday blocking Sam Hoskins’ shot.

“We can’t start again at that pace,” said Moore.

“They bullied us all over, their defenders bullied our front two, their midfield was on top, we never won any second balls.

“Consequently we were always on the back foot.

“Our players knew, it wasn’t like it was a surprise. They were told how Northampton start.

“I don’t know what it is [the slow starts].

“It’s something we’ve got to take stock of, what they did to us is what I’ve been saying from the start of the season and what I want us to do to the opposition.

“Not just at home but away too, there’s no reason why you can’t play at a high tempo.”

Moore though is adamant his defenders must stand up to the threat posed by the opposition.

“Our centre-backs and keeper shouldn’t be getting bullied from a corner,” he said.

“We need to man up, we should be doing better.

“But if you are not an aggressive person you can’t all of a sudden become one.”

However, Moore was pleased to see Scott Harrison step up to the plate and he’ll be looking for more of the same against the Daggers.

“Scotty was more like Scotty, he was solid and strong,” he said.

“He didn’t get bullied whereas one or two did.

“But we know where we are weak, it’s just a matter of trying to get someone in as quick as possible.”