HALESOWEN assistant manager Matt Clarke says his side need to find the balance between defence and attack as they look to push away from the Northern Premier League's dropzone.

The Yeltz drew 0-0 at bottom-placed side Corby Town last Friday, their second goalless stalemate in succession.

The result also means Hales have scored just five goals in their last eight games.

It was a statistic they couldn't put right due to Monday's fixture at Hednesford falling victim to a water-logged pitch.

Clarke says the club's forwards do need to start taking their chances again but admits the team may have sacrificed an attacking threat in recent weeks as they looked to shore up the backline.

"We thought we were conceding far too many goals and tried to solve that issue," he said.

"Liam Slade has come in and done well and we look a lot stronger in that area. But we have perhaps given something up in the attacking part of the pitch.

"Our aim now is to try and get the balance right.

"We are still creating chances to win games but we need our strikers to come to the table as well.

"Kaiman Anderson missed two good chances against Corby and Tristian Dunkley has also had good opportunities recently.

"Perhaps it is a confidence issue but hopefully they can start firing again soon.

"We still have Kaiman for a few games before his loan from Shrewsbury runs out and it would be great if we could send him back in a rich vein of form."

Clarke says the Yeltz are already on the lookout for Anderson's replacement for when he has to return to Salop.

He added: "We are looking at the moment to see who we could bring in but it is not going to be easy to replace someone of his ability. If he stayed for the rest of the season he'd probably get 30 goals.

"Our budget won't stretch to bringing someone in so we may have to look at the loan market again."

Hales will look to get back to winning ways when they host Buxton at the Grove this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Malcolm Melvin and Matt Birley are both set to return from absence and injury respectively.