Paul Simpson has stressed that Carlisle United are trying “desperately” to bring in a new striker.

But the Blues manager has warned that it is far from an easy task.

Simpson says he has belief in his current forwards to get goals for the Blues, though he accepts United need more in attack.

“I do have faith [in them], yeah, and I hope that doesn’t change,” Simpson said.

“There’s only so long you can keep waiting, but I can assure everybody we are desperately trying to bring more players into this football club.

“It’s not easy. It’s not something that you can just pick a phone up and say, ‘I want him’, and it happens.

“It’s really, really difficult, and I see it up and down the country, and speak to other managers and coaches.

“Everybody’s in the same boat, we’re all looking for that player who’s a bit different, it just hasn’t happened yet.”

Simpson has said Carlisle may have to be patient until the latter stages of the transfer window in order to bring in another frontman.

Until then, they will continue to rely on the forwards in the ranks, with Ryan Edmondson getting a start in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Oxford United.

Jordan Gibson supported him up front with Joe Garner, Luke Plange and Dan Butterworth coming off the bench, and Sean Maguire unavailable as he was dealing with a family matter.

For Butterworth it was a league debut for the Blues and Simpson feels the ex-Blackburn Rovers man has looked bright in his two cameo performances so far.

“I think if he can get opportunities he’s somebody who’ll score goals, he’s a really good finisher,” said Simpson of Butterworth. “He’s got great feet.

“Luke’s a good finisher, Jordan Gibson can get goals for us, Edmo can, Joe Garner can, we’ve got players…probably not [those who can get] 25 a season, but we’ve got to get them all chipping in.

“We need goals from wherever we can get them at the moment just to give us that little jump.”