Alan Knill admits he is unsure as to what extent he'll be able to strengthen his Scunthorpe United squad during the January transfer window.

Having failed to score in four of their last six matches, including during last weekend's dismal 0-0 FA Cup draw at League Two side AFC Wimbledon, the Iron's need for attacking reinforcements is clear – if only to relieve the burden on the likes of Chris Dagnall and Bobby Grant.

United are already at the top of their playing budget, which was stretched to recruit Nicky Ajose on loan at the end of September.

And though their accounts for the last financial year, released yesterday, showed a healthy profit of £1.4million, the fact the club have been quick to point out they would have made a £200,000 loss but for transfer fees received suggests tough times are ahead.

That means Knill faces the prospect of having to reduce the wage bill before he can add to it – which brings with it its own problems.

"The squad we've got is what I've got," he told the Telegraph when asked about the transfer market.

"We knew at the start of the season the majority of the budget was taken up, so we'd have to go with what we had.

"I don't know if it will still be the case in January.

"I'll probably still have to move players on to bring new ones in and moving players on in itself isn't as easy as you probably think.

"The players have done all right. Chris Dagnall's got six goals and Bobby Grant's got eight, which is okay.

"It's just that we want more goals because we create enough chances to score more goals.

"It's frustrating, but probably no more frustrating for me than the players."

Knill is hoping Jordan Robertson will help bring the best out of the front men currently on the Iron's books as he gets closer and closer to a return following three months on the sidelines with a broken ankle.

But the fact he is still not ready to play for the first-team and that scoring goals is currently an issue, the Iron boss is pleading for patience from the likes of Dagnall, Grant and Garry Thompson.

"It's about being more ruthless at both ends," groaned Knill, whose side host Hartlepool United on Saturday.

"Saturday, at Wimbledon, you could see it. There were a couple of occasions where the ball goes in the box and yet there's no-one in the box.

"All week we'd been working on that and things like reactions – if the keeper drops the ball, where's it going to drop?

"He dropped it two or three times and they clear it rather than us get to it.

"It's about whether you really want to score and how much do you want to go and score?

"Every goal we seem to score is a great goal. I think the last lucky goal was Colchester, when it hit Bobby Grant in the box and went in.

"We need more tap-ins, like Bobby got at Charlton.

"Whether it's an anxiety I don't know.

"A couple of times people have had a shot, from where they're never going to score, where there was a pass on.

"Saturday, more than anywhere, I felt there was another pass to make it easier for someone else, yet they take the chance themselves and it doesn't happen.

"We need to apply some commonsense."