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Manager Ronnie Moore has pinpointed a lack of goals as the main reason for Tranmere's slide out of promotion contention in League One.

Rovers led the table in February, but five consecutive 1-0 losses have seen them drop to 10th, eight points from a play-off spot with one match to play.

Moore told "It showed again on Saturday [at Preston] that we need a goalscorer.

"On our budget, it's difficult, but we have to try and find one."

Wolves striker Jake Cassidy, who joined Tranmere on loan at the start of the campaign and left at the turn of the year, remains the club's top scorer this season with 11 goals.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro had scored seven of his eight goals this term by the start of October, while on-loan Stoke front man Mama Sidibe has yet to score in nine appearances for Rovers.

Veteran Andy Robinson has contributed 10 goals from midfield, four of them from the penalty spot.

Moore, who signed a new contract at Prenton Park in January, continued: "We had a little bit of joy with Cassidy and he's been a massive miss for us.

"The injury that Akpa Akpro had [a broken foot that kept him out for three months] has affected him.

"Mama gives his all and holds it up well, but is he a 20-goal-a-season man? I would hazard a guess to say no.

"You've got to be scoring goals. Getting that first goal is so important in games. We need a poacher but they don't come cheap and they're very difficult to find."