WELLING player-manager Neil Smith has stepped up his search for a new striker after Nicky Ward left the club.

Ward has been forced to stop playing after taking a job at an estate agent, although he only told Smith he was unavailable less than five hours before the Lewes game last Friday.

Smith said: “I can’t stop the lad getting a full-time job but he let me know at 3pm last Friday and that threw a spanner in the works as we had worked on a different team in training.

“Nicky put in a lot of effort at the club but I need to try to bring someone in now.

“I want to bring in a striker to play with Omari Coleman and try to take some of the workload off him.

“Initially I’m after one striker – and that may be short-term – but, as I’ve always said, I want competition for places across the team.”

Smith also hinted that Lloyd Blackman could return to his role as a striker after playing in midfield in recent weeks.