Drastic measures are being considered amid Blackpool's striker crisis

The Seasiders were left with just one fit and available striker against Reading last week when Shayne Lavery was forced off with a hamstring injury after just 21 minutes.

McCarthy has since confirmed the Northern Irishman is likely to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Gary Madine, who had only just returned from a four-match suspension, would then go on to pick up a knock during the same game, although he was able to run it off and stay on.

Jake Beesley is also out for the remainder of the campaign, while both Jerry Yates and Madine have trained despite carrying niggles.

Yates missed the trip to Berkshire having picked up a hamstring strain against Blackburn Rovers.

With that in mind, McCarthy may be forced to turn to someone like Morgan Rogers to fulfil that role in attack.

The Man City loanee played there for the final 10 minutes against Reading last week after Madine had been brought off.

“If anyone gets injured we’d have to deploy somebody else in a position that perhaps isn’t deemed to be their position,” McCarthy admitted to The Gazette.

“That would be tough, so we need to have our strikers fit, that’s for sure.

“Not only keeping them fit, we need to create some chances for them as well because it’s alright having them fit but they’re relying on other players as well.

“That’s the one positive from last week, we did create chances. It was a better performance, I know that.

“The first 25 minutes we played well, but when they scored they got the impetus in the first-half. In the second-half, we have a great chance and if we score it I think we go on and win the game.

“I can say that, but I thought we would because we were on top at the time.

“We just contrived to give three crazy goals away which was so disappointing. That’s why I was so annoyed afterwards, because having played like we did, having created the chances we did, losing 3-1 was unacceptable.”