MARTIN Scott last night signed Ipswich Town defender Gerard Nash on loan.

The Hartlepool United boss has been looking to boost his defensive numbers after Neill Collins returned to Sunderland after an impressive half-season loan.

"He is a promising player whose progress has been held up by injuries but he's back playing now and it would be good for him to go out on loan and play some first-team football," said Town boss Joe Royle.

Nash, born in Dublin and the fourth loan signing for Scott this season after Dean McDonald, James Walker and Collins, has made one senior appearance for Ipswich, as a substitute in the 6-1 win over Burnley in October 2003.

Pool have been linked with moves for ex-Victoria Park defenders Graeme Lee and Chris Westwood, although the arrival of Gerard would appear to signal the end of those possibilities.

Lee has been made available for transfer by Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster are keen on his services, but are refusing to meet The Owls £50,000 valuation.

Hartlepool reserves, meanwhile, were beaten 2-0 at Darlington yesterday afternoon - with goals from Adrian Webster and trialist striker Guy Bates.

Webster opened the scoring when he fired under the body of Jim Provett in the ninth minute but Pool spurned four good opportunities of their own.

Darryl Clarke missed three chances including one shot that hit the inside of the post and rolled across the goal line, while Quakers keeper Jack Norton impressively tipped over a Lee Bullock header.

Bates has been on trial at Darlington for a month and he grabbed the second shortly before half time with a neat finish.

The second half was a scrappy affair with Pool's Steven Istead wasting the best chance, firing wide when one-on-one with Norton in the closing minutes.

Bates, 20, left Newcastle in the summer and has since been with the Newcastle which plays in the Australian national league, the Hyundai A-League.

James Beaumont, 21, another former Newcastle youth team player, also played yesterday and the midfielder is available to sign from Nottingham Forest.

American midfielder Marco John was on trial yesterday but Hodgson will not be following up his interest in him.

Hartlepool: Provett; Craddock, Low, Jones, Brackstone (White 80); Istead, Bullock, Clarke, Marshall (Turnbull 68); Proctor (Foley 46), Daly. Subs (not used): Manson, Winter

Darlington: Norton, Thomas, Pattinson, McLeod (Casson 65), Clarke, Hughes, Beaumont, Webster (Tait 80), John (R Logan 84), Bates, Parkin. Subs (not used): Lawson, McIntosh.

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