The diagnosis on the ankle Behan injured in Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to Southampton was not good news for Hartlepool United yesterday with the Irish striker expected to be out until the New Year.

Tests showed the 25-year-old had injured his ankle ligaments and with Colin Larkin also on the treatment table with a hamstring strain, it restricts the striking options at Turner's disposal.

The director of sport does not expect to bring in another recruit before today's 5pm loan deadline and will rely on the existing members of a squad boosted by 11 summer signings.

Boyd and Brown look set to start next Tuesday's game at Carlisle but with the latter still suffering the after-effects of last season's cruciate knee ligament damage, Turner admits he cannot depend upon the 22-year-old staying fit.

It will lead Turner to look towards the raw Billy Greulich, yet to impress Armann Bjornsson and even left winger Andy Monkhouse to provide striking cover in Behan's absence.

Turner said: "I could not foresee James Brown and Adam Boyd being fit for the whole of the six or seven games Denis will be missing.

"Ideally, I would love that to happen but you just never know with James.

"Billy, Armann and Andy Monkhouse might have to go up the front. We have to utilise the squad at our disposal.

"Colin Larkin can play as a striker when he's fit as well so we've got options.

"It's just that when Denis plays like he did on Tuesday, the team generally plays well."