Crawley boss John Gregory is keen to enter the loan market to bolster his injury-hit strikeforce.

Gavin Tomlin is a doubt for Crawley’s opening League One match of the season at Barnsley on Saturday after limping out of the friendly defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

Gregory remains hopeful that Tomlin will recover in time for the trip to Oakwell.

But Matt Harrold is likely to miss the first four games after undergoing minor surgery on his knee leaving Izale McLeod as Reds’ only fully fit striker.

Gregory said: “We lost Matt two weeks ago and I had to take off Gavin the other day against Chelsea which has left us a little bit short.

“Gavin is not as bad as we first feared and there is every chance he will be ready to play at Barnsley so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

“Matt should be back with the squad after the Ipswich game (in the Capital One Cup next Tuesday) but it might be little bit too soon for him to play against Swindon or Bradford.

“I’ve had to wrap Izale in cotton wool as I can’t afford to lose him too but there is a possibility might bring in a striker on loan for a couple of months just to get us over this initial period.”

Gregory has also hinted he may offer a contract to “one or two” of the four trialists who played in the 3-2 defeat to a young Chelsea side on Saturday.

The Reds boss has been impressed with Wycombe defender Anthony Stewart along with former Fulham winger Charles Banya and midfielder Harold Odametey.

He added: “We are almost up to our ceiling budget-wise so we have to be careful but there are a couple of youngster who have been very impressive.

“They are coming in tomorrow to work with us and then I’ve got some decisions to make on them over next few days.”

Gregory has also hinted he may bring in another goalkeeper as back-up for Brian Jensen after Raphael Spiegel conceded three times in the second half against Chelsea.

Spiegel’s loan spell ends after the game against Swindon a week on Saturday and West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has hinted he will not allow the Switzerland Under-21 international to play for Crawley in the Capital One Cup.

Gregory said: “I’m in Sam’s hands on that one. He might decide Rapha needs to go back so we might have to bring somebody else in for next Tuesday against Ipswich.”