ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman says he may need to sign as many as five players after watching his severely depleted side slip to a 3-1 defeat at Rochdale on Saturday.

It was Stanley’s fifth loss in six games and Coleman knows reinforcements are needed fast but former loan player Terry Gornell is now needed at Tranmere, while Rostyn Griffiths and Jamie Clarke are currently being assessed by new Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce.

Gregg Blundell – nearing fitness after the knee injury that cut short his loan – is unlikely to return this week because Stanley host his parent club, Darlington, on Saturday.

Coleman said: “We certainly need to make some strong additions because out of our full first-team squad on Saturday we only had 15 people fit, which isn’t enough.

“We need a striker, possibly two, we need a middle of midfielder and we need a defender, possibly two defenders.

"But Terry Gornell is looking like maybe being a month off, if he comes, because Tranmere have got so many injuries.

"We’re waiting to hear today about Rostyn Griffiths and Jamie Clarke and I’ve made some enquiries about a couple of other players."

Kieran Charnock, whose loan ended on Saturday, is expected to complete an extension until the end of the season in the next few days.

But the centre back is puzzled about why Peterborough prematurely announced the deal on their official website on Friday without even speaking to him.

Charnock has two weeks to pen an extension because he will be suspended against Darlington after picking up his fifth booking of the season at Rochdale.

"I’ve not even spoken to Peterborough yet," said the 24-year-old.

"Apparently it’s on the website that I’ve signed and yet they won’t even speak to me, it seems. But hopefully the deal will be resolved."