Will Hartlepool United consider free agents after injuries to ex-Charlton Athletic and Kilmarnock strikers

Having hoped to bring in a number of players before the deadline a week ago, Hartley was left scrambling to complete the only deal the club made on the day when bringing in Barnsley’s Clarke Oduor on loan for the rest of the season.

Hartley had revealed ahead of the transfer deadline he had hoped for three or four new arrivals before declaring ‘various reasons’ as to why those deals did not materialise.

And following injuries to striking duo Josh Umerah and Mikael Ndjoli, Hartley was left with just one recognised striker in his squad for the draw at Colchester United with the Pools boss admitting he may have to consider the free agency market.

“Yeah if there’s players available then can we get a deal done?” said Hartley.

“If somebody becomes available for us [we’ll look at it], but that’s not a certainty.

“It was frustrating the last day, that’s for sure,” added Hartley.

“I was there for 10-12 hours at the stadium to try and get a couple in but we just couldn’t do it.

“Even the week leading up to it we felt we had a couple coming in, maybe three or four at least, and then for various reasons we couldn’t get them in.

“So then do you just take a body in for the sake of it? I felt that wasn’t worth doing.

“But it’s gone now. We can’t do anything about it. Somebody may pop up for us.”