CHIPPENHAM Town chief Mark Collier says that the Bluebirds are working to address their current lack of firepower up front.

With experienced frontmen Alan Griffin and Lee Phillips currently sidelined with long-term injuries and Omar Simpson also nursing a dislocated shoulder, midfielders Luke Ballinger, Jordan Roberts and James Guthrie have all featured up front in recent weeks.

Moves for Frome Town’s former Swindon Town striker Mark Francis and ex-Bristol Rovers man Lewis Haldane have failed to pay dividends and Collier says that the club are continuing the hunt for reinforcements following yesterday’s 2-0 home defeat to Corby Town.

“We started with Darren Edwards and James Guthrie up front and with Jordan Roberts just behind them in midfield,” said Collier.

“What we were missing is that person to be a little bit selfish and take one of those chances on their own.

“Whilst we’re missing some of our out-and-out centre-forwards, some of the other players are going to have to chip in.

“We’re well aware of the situation and we’re trying to address it. We’ve put seven days in for Mark Francis at Frome and Lewis Haldane at Yate and we also spoke to Forest Green Rovers about getting a striker on loan but nothing happened there yet.

“Goalscorers are hard to find and there are some strikers that priced themselves out of a move – we have a budget that we’ve got to work towards.”

A strike from Spencer Weir-Daley midway through the first half saw Corby take the lead before the striker pounced again late on to make it 2-0.

Hardenhuish Park boss Collier said: “I thought that we started the game particularly well but their lad up front scored a good goal, which was a 25-yard strike, and we huffed and puffed after that.

“There were some good individual performances and we did create some good chances but it came down to fine lines.

“I don’t know if Corby will be one of the sides at the top of the division this season but they were a very workmanlike team – it’s disappointing but we have to move on.”

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