SWINDON Town are still trying to bring in a striker to rival Nile Ranger for a starting berth but manager Mark Cooper has stressed that money is tight at the County Ground.

Robins owner Lee Power has previously held talks with Liverpool regarding the possibility of drafting in Michael Ngoo on loan and saw a bid for Wes Thomas turned down by Bournemouth on behalf of the player earlier in the transfer window but, with just 11 days left to draft in a new recruit, Town are running out of time to make a signing.

Cooper revealed after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Gillingham at the weekend that Swindon would not break the bank simply for the sake of acquiring another target man.

“I think everyone knows what we’re trying to do. Everyone knows we need a number nine that wants to fight for the club and wants to run about like the rest of them, that’s where we’re one short at the minute,” he said.

“I’d certainly hope (it can be done before the end of the window). I don’t want it to sound like an excuse but the club is in such a way that we haven’t got a lot of money and we have to try to get the best one we can without putting the future in doubt again.”

Troy Archibald-Henville and Tijane Reis could return to match action in the next few weeks after recovering from knee surgery but Cooper is keen to give them more time in development matches before then.

“They need more reserve games but with the weather we’re struggling to get those games on,” he said. “They need another couple of games before they’re ready to be considered.”

Finally, on-loan defender Grant Hall was stretched off with a calf strain on Saturday and will be assessed by the Swindon medical team this week.