BOSS Tom Killick did not rule out boosting his striking options but backed his current charges to provide Poole Town with enough firepower.

Dolphins were rocked earlier this week by the discovery that talented frontman Luke Roberts had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a pre-season clash at Weymouth last month.

With the “irreplaceable” 23-year-old facing a lengthy spell out, the Poole manager is set to assess his plans for attacking alternatives going forward.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “It’s like a two-pronged loss, the emotional side and then the actual practicalities of being without Luke Roberts.

"Luke is irreplaceable from our point of view because to get someone of his level from elsewhere is just not affordable.

“There are teams in our league who would probably pay someone like him huge amounts of money.

"We are not really in a position to replace him in those terms but we just have to do what we can do.

“I am not so worried about necessarily being desperate to bring someone in, although I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Poole have scored seven times in their opening four league fixtures heading into tomorrow’s home clash with league leaders St Albans City (3pm).

Discussing his striking options, Killick added: “I’ve got Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke Burbidge, who played up front against Chippenham.

"Both did very well. Luke is an exceptionally talented player and Christian did very well having not played up front before in his career.

“I look at Christian and see, in my view, that he has the attributes to play in that position.

“I have got Tony Lee, who was unlucky to be left out on Tuesday.

“We have also got young Ollie Balmer. He has to be given an opportunity at some point.”

As well as Balmer scoring four times for the club’s Wyvern League side against Winchester City in a 6-1 win on Wednesday, Killick revealed experienced frontman Richard Gillespie could be in contention within two to three weeks after receiving positive news from his scan.

St Albans have reached the top of the National South pile having picked up a maximum 12 points from four games, scoring no fewer than 10 times and conceding four in the process.

“We know how hard a game St Albans will be,” added Killick.

“I have seen clips of them and they look very powerful.

“It’s going to be a big ask for us but the players rose to the challenge at Chippenham on Tuesday, which on paper was a hugely difficult fixture, and I’m sure they will do the same.”

Will Spetch could return having recently suffered a dead leg.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Moore, Smeeton, Dickson, Lee, Whisken, Lindsay, Burbidge, Devlin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cooper, Baggie, Pettefer, Bedford, Balmer, Spetch, Rees.