HARTLEPOOL United’s search for a striker was put on hold on Friday – but boss Ronnie Moore hopes it will happen in the next 48 hours.

Moore had a forward lined up, but the deal was pulled by his parent club at the last minute following an injury to another striker and their failure to land an alternative.

And, with Scott Fenwick out for a month with an ankle problem, and Marvin Morgan and Marlon Harewood hardly looking like scoring, another option up front is a must.

“Scott will be a miss, four to six weeks, a nightmare really. I nearly had one in Friday, so so close. The plug was pulled late on, they couldn’t get one in who they wanted and then stopped him moving to us.

“I’m hoping it will happen this week. Who is going to give you a one in two striker? I’ve knocked on about 5,000 doors and got nothing.

“This lad we are after has scored a lot of goals in non-league and is playing at our level now and hopefully we can get him in.’’

Fenwick has been playing with an ankle injury for since the draw at Tranmere last month and it was hoped he could carry on, but a scan showed a problem and his joint has been put in a special moon boot to protect it.

Matthew Bates will be out for up to six weeks with a dead leg. He suffered the injury at Portsmouth two weeks ago and a scan revealed deep internal bleeding.

“Batesy was looking like he can do the anchor role. Scott is a scorer and if he was playing at Bury we would have won,’’ said Moore, who will have Tommy Miller back in training with the first team today.

“Batesy could be six weeks, which is unfortunate as his fitness has been good of late.’’

Moore handed a start to Connor Smith and the teenager was bright up front.

“Connor did well,’’ said Moore. “I’m still trying for a striker in, fingers crossed it’s done this week.

“We are hopeful and if he comes in then it helps. Losing Fenwick is a blow, and we’ve two in Harewood and Morgan and having four would give us better options.

“Now Fenwick’s out it’s a blow. He would have scored that chance early on, but that’s no criticism of Morgs – I’ve seen strikers miss, I’ve seen Robbie Fowler miss chances, Ian Rush the same, so it’s hard to blame one guy.

“It looked to me it would finish 0-0, but we conceded a disappointing goal.’’