NEWPORT County are set to finally get their hands on Chester City striker Cortez Belle after months of speculation.

The former Merthyr target man, who was at County as a youngster but spent most of his early years playing for the YMCA, has been linked with a move to Spytty Park since last season. Now he is set to get his chance to run out for his home town club after reportedly agreeing to a month's loan deal.

Belle, brought up in Newport, has had a stormy first season at Chester and has impressed in spells but he has been sent off three times in just over half a season and his manager Ian Rush wants to withdraw him from the firing line for a spell.

He is keen on keeping Belle but Chester's financial problems may prevent this happening, leaving the door open for County to make the deal permanent and the player has been training with the club for the last week or so.

He is now poised to join County as soon as a five match suspension is served, with the home match against Eastbourne on February 26 looking likely to be his first match.

County boss John Cornforth said: "He is a big strong centre forward who scores goals and I think that we need a player like that.

"John Phillips and Sam O'Sullivan are not the most physical and Jamie Moralee has been struggling for fitness with tendonitis, so Cortez would be be a good acquisition if we can pull it off."

Meanwhile Cornforth has his work cut out to put a side together for tomorrow's visit of Margate (kick-off 3pm).

Defender Andrew Thomas and midfielder Nathan Davies are both suspended, giving the manager a selection headache.

"We are down to the bare bones again," he said. "We have been trying to bring in new bodies but it is a bit of a struggle to be honest.

"I have approached three clubs this week with a view to loan deals and it is a case of waiting by the phone now."

Cornforth may hand a starting role to recent signing Chris Curran, who impressed after coming on as a substitute in last week's defeat at Carshalton.

"He did well but is still about two and a half weeks away from match fitness," he said. "But he is definitely in my thoughts.

"It will be a hard game but they are all hard games and although we say it every week, outside Grays, anyone can beat anyone in this league. We will have to defend well but we are at home and have to go out a get a victory."

County (from): Delve, L Phillips, Morgan, D Jones, Curran, Morris, Evans, Mouncher, Williams, G Jones, Moralee, O'Sullivan, J Phillips, Bowen, Hooper, Passmore, Blackburn.

County's Football League Alliance side travel to face Swansea tomorow and the South West Counties side are at home to Bath, both with 11am kick-offs.

The youth team has also been handed a home draw to Porthmadog in the Welsh Youth Cup fourth round to be played on February 26