NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh admits he will need to sign a striker this month after seeing his side miss a host of chances in defeat to bottom club Northampton Town.

Cobblers goalkeeper Matt Duke was in superb form as he saved a late Andy Sandell penalty and denied County half a dozen times to earn his side three points.

Defender Harry Worley cancelled out Hallam Hope’s opener on the stroke of half-time but a super strike from Darren Carter two minutes after the interval was enough to win the game.

Still missing Chris Zebroski and Aaron O’Connor, Edinburgh sees fellow striker George Barker and defender Adedeji Oshilaja return to their parent clubs this week.

And with Christian Jolley, Danny Crow and Conor Washington having scored one goal between them since the middle of November the Exiles boss knows he needs a goalscorer, if he can find one.

“You always want to try and improve your squad but I don’t think anyone would want to give up their goalscorers (in January),” said Edinburgh.

“We may have to go for an unproven one but we will certainly try and improve the squad now that the window is open.

“I do feel that we need someone up there. We’ve got quality here but Christian Jolley probably hasn’t quite picked up after his injury.

“It’s hard. He showed glimpses second half that he’s coming back but we’re desperate for him to get a goal, and Conor and Robbie (Willmott) and Crowy.

“I have confidence in them and have no doubt if we continue to create chances like we did today they will dispatch them.

“We have quality here but if we can get the right striker to the club we will do it. We’re asking players to play with injuries at the minute.

“Hopefully we can get some big players back soon,” he added. “O’Connor and Zebroski aren’t too far off so we’ll maybe look to bring someone in for a month if we can’t sign someone permanently.”

Oshilaja’s return to Cardiff City under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a bigger blow than the loss of Barker.

Edinburgh is keen to see the young defender return but does not see the need to bring in anyone else if he remains at the Cardiff City Stadium.

“Oshilaja goes back to Cardiff unfortunately. They want to have a look at him,” he said. “We’d like to bring him back but with the change of manager the circumstances have changed.

“I don’t think we’ll need another defender though. We’ve got Andrew Hughes back in training now and Byron is recovering really well so you don’t want to overload.”