MICHAEL WOODS has waited patiently his chance this season and previous to that, and now he’s taking it.

Once of Leeds, then Chelsea, Woods drifted around and out of the professional game before being tempted back last summer by then Hartlepool United boss Colin Cooper.

He’s been in and out of the side this season, but in recent weeks has relished his central midfield role.

Woods was outstanding last weekend at Tranmere and will play there this afternoon when Pools take on Plymouth at Victoria Park.

Technically sound, Woods’ ability to break from deep and attack caused Rovers problems from just 14 seconds in when he had a shot saved by keeper Owain Fon-Williams.

"The big thing about that was the position Woods played in, he was outstanding,’’ mused Pools’ boss Ronnie Moore. "He got on the ball and his passing range is superb. We need that from Woodsy, if he plays well we play well.’’

Moore added: "Woods will get better and stronger. You don't get what he had at a young age and then just disappear - or at least you shouldn't do.

"He just needs to be handled in the right way.

"He needs to be loved and kissed and have arms round him, if you shout at him too much then you will lose him.

"His performances, we need him to perform like that week in week out to get out of this mess."

Woods – and Aaron Tshibola - last weekend had an extra man in the engine room at Prenton Park, with Matthew Bates enjoying an influential role.

He’s twice played there for Moore and done a steady job as a deep-lying midfielder.

And Moore is considering fielding the ex-Middlesbrough skipper in that role this afternoon again after a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 set up last weekend.

"Plymouth are 3-5-2, we have to look at the shape at home,’’ he said. "Sometimes people think it is negative but we are playing with three strikers – Jon Franks, Rakish Bingham and Scott Fenwick.

"They are out and out strikers, Fransky plays out wide but he'd rather be playing up top.

"No one can say we are negative, we went to Tranmere and created a lot of chances. We needed Batesy in the holding midfield role because we knew Max Power would be bombing on all day.

"But to be honest you never saw him, and he is a good player and their leading goalscorer. Batesy has done a terrific job there for us.

"Plymouth have two Reids, one up top and one in midfield. The midfielder bombs on for fun, there may be scope for Batesy to continue in that role.

"He looked comfortable and has good feet for a centre half and is more defensive minded than anybody else we have at the club to play that role."

Moore has brought some much-needed improvement to Pools and, while avoiding relegation is still a mammoth task amid plenty of conjecture and tales about the planned takeover of the club, it’s not something he will give up on.

Pools won their last home game, seeing off Cheltenham, before back to back away games at Shrewsbury and Tranmere.

And Moore can see the difference in the squad from when he took over in mid-December.

“It’s been hard since I came in here, you see the team at the bottom of the league, but you don’t really see or know the players until you get in and start working with them,’’ he said. “I’ve said some bad things about them, but I’ve been truthful. They appreciate how I work and they have give what I asked for and then they get rewards for it. You cannot compliment players when they aren’t performing.

“We had supporters criticising and I hope those days are gone now. When we came off last weekend the dressing room was buzzing, disappointed they didn’t win, but they could see the progress and it shows the togetherness.

“There’s more talk in the dressing room now. If we carry on the way we finished last week we have a hell of a chance of getting out of this mess we are in.

“Performances have improved, spirit is good and we are still trying to add to it. We want two more in, new blood lifts all the players too and you have seen how good the players that have come in are too.’’