Hartlepool United transfer latest as defenders remain high on Craig Hignett's wishlist

Although, Hignett is relaxed about the prospect of not getting any further players over the line before the National League's March 28 registration deadline.

Pools shipped four goals in defeat at AFC Fylde, and while conditions and the new system and personnel was a factor, the manager accepts it was not good enough.

And as a result he remains in the market for defenders to strengthen his lot, whether that be now or in the summer.

Assessing his team's defensive performance, he said: "We keep putting ourselves on the back foot in games - that can't continue. We have got to do something about and we are.

"We are still actively looking for players and I have a good idea of what I want my backline to look like next season. We just have to go out and get them.

"We are scoring so many goals we should really have more points than we do.

"If you are going to Fylde and scoring two you have to be coming away with at least a point.

"We are doing all we can to try and improve in that area."

While time is ticking away to get deals done this season, Hignett admits he is relaxed about the whole situation.

He said: "We know what we want and we are working hard to get it.

"If it happens before the deadline then that's a massive bonus. If it doesn't, we wait til the summer.

"We are relaxed about it."

Goals are flowing under Hignett, but Pools are leaky at the back.

The manager knows he's got strike the right balance with his team ahead of a potential play-off push next season.

"We need to get a happy medium," he said.

"I am an attacking coach, I want to go and score goals. I am not naive enough to know that we don't need to work on the stuff at the back. Because we do.

"If you look at it we have two new lads in at centre-half and also a whole back four who have not played together at all so it will take a little bit of time for the players to get used to what I want.

"Edgar has another 90 in the bank, I thought Kerr was very good. Peter Kioso is back, Anderson is versatile at left back. Those are plus points but we need to work on it.

"The more the players play together, it will come."

How did Pools' players rate last night? Liam Kennedy gives his marks out of 10Hignett continued: "You can be too entertaining.

"We look like we can score every time we go forward.

"It's a new system, the players have taken to it well.

"The main thing is we needed to score goals, we needed to look dangerous and we are.

"Now the job is to try and keep the back door shut."