THERE’S no getting away from the fact that Charlie Austin’s exit to Burnley could be disastrous for Town.

Teetering dangerously above the League One relegation zone, Swindon are desperately in need of goals and having sold their star striker, must beyond all doubt recruit at least one if not two replacements.

The reason for this is that in terms of hitting the back of the net, the two other most regular forwards in the squad have simply not cut it this season.

You can’t argue with the stats. Vincent Pericard has made 24 appearances and scored six goals, while Thomas Dossevi has turned out on 24 occasions and registered three times.

In contrast, Austin made 27 appearances and bagged 17 goals, making him nearly twice as effective in front of goal as his two teammates put together.

Boss Danny Wilson’s only other frontline options are 18-year-old Billy Bodin and Samsung Win a Pro Contract winner Jordan Pavett, who is just a year older. Neither have ever started for Swindon.

And let’s be frank, if you’re looking to inexperienced teenagers to fill the huge void left by Austin to pull you out of relegation trouble, something is seriously wrong.

It is this writer’s belief that Town are stretching every sinew to bring at least one player in before Monday’s transfer deadline, and they would be right to.

The one attribute any Swindon target must possess is he must be a goalscorer, and all other attributes are either a bonus or a peripheral concern.

Year after year, season after season, fans across struggling teams in all divisions across England ask the question, ‘Who is going to score our goals?’.

The supporters that cannot answer that question tend to see their team go down, which is for Town is an unpleasant but not inconceivable prospect.

It is understood that the Austin deal could net Town the best part of £2million, and it would be a wise move to set aside a fair chunk of that to bring in a striker.

Coventry hitman Roy O’Donovan has attracted plenty of attention from League One clubs and may be worth a punt, while Elliot Benyon has scored plenty of goals for League Two outfit Torquay.

If Town are keener on loan options, they could utilise their links with Bolton to move for a familiar face in the form of Danny Ward, who would certainly be warmly welcomed back to the County Ground.

Whatever they decide to do, time is of the essence. With just two days until the transfer window slams shut, Town do not have long to recruit the man or men who will replace the goals scored by Austin.

The clock is ticking...