SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell is facing a striker shortage for the remainder of the season.

Blues were unable to bring in a forward before the transfer window closed.

And the Shrimpers also allowed Theo Robinson to join Swindon Town on loan for the rest of the campaign, leaving Powell with limited options in attack.

“We tried to address it but it didn’t happen for whatever reason,” said Powell.

“I had known all along since Tom Hopper was injured that we needed to bolster that area.

“We have some young players and they’re going to be good players but we’re asking a lot from them.

“Isaac Hutchinson and Charlie Kelman are going to be very, very good players but it was no secret I was trying to bolster that area.

“Unfortunately we weren’t able to do it.”

Blues missed out on a loan moves for Queens Park Rangers striker Aramide Oteh, Watford’s Jerome Sinclair and Tottenham Hotspur’s Kazaiah Sterling before Walsall’s Morgan Ferrier rejected a switch to Roots Hall.

The Shrimpers had an offer of £75,000 accepted for the Saddlers striker and were disappointed not to complete a deal.

A club statement said: “We had a £75,000 bid accepted for a striker from a Midlands-based team with the selling club keen to get the deal over the line before the 11pm transfer deadline.

“After intense negotiations with the player and a much-improved contract offer to his current deal we were unfortunately notified at 10.30pm that the player wasn’t going to make the move closer to his home.”