Shrewsbury Town were today attempting to force through some late January business as the transfer window prepares to shut.

Manager Paul Simpson is hoping his long search for extra reinforcements will pay dividends with at least one new signing before tonight’s 5pm deadline.

A striker is understood to top the wish-list of the Shrewsbury boss, after he increased defensive options earlier in the window by signing Huddersfield full back Joe Skarz on loan for the remainder of the season.

Any permanent signings will have to be completed by the end of today, although they will be able to make emergency loans from next week.

“I’ve been trying to bring players in but the door seems to keep getting closed,” said Simpson.

“I am hopeful I will get something. We have got players in mind we want, whether we can do something we just have to wait and see.

“If we can’t do something, it won’t be through a lack of trying.

“We are definitely trying to bring in the right players who are going to help us.”

Meanwhile, Simpson was today attempting to lift the spirits of his squad after their five-match unbeaten run was halted at the weekend.

Town suffered a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Accrington Stanley, Bobby Grant grabbing the only goal of the game in the first half.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t take the opportunities when we had them early on in the game,” added Simpson.

“I thought we started the game very well by doing the things that we asked – getting it up to our strikers and turning them down the channels.

“But after that, we stopped doing the right things and we invited the pressure on ourselves.

“We didn’t have the quality on Saturday that we have had in other recent games and that’s a disappointment because we are better than what we showed.

“But we have got to deal with it, move on and get ready for the next one and try and get ourselves on another run.”