REDDITCH United boss Rob Smith has turned his attention to bringing a new striker to the club after watching his side squander a hatful of chances before bowing out of the FA Cup, beaten 3-2 at home by Belper Town.

Paul Danks, Ian Bennett and skipper Adam Nicholls all missed gilt-edged chances to finish off the Unibold League side before Belper took the tie with two second-half goals by leading scorer Carl Cunningham.

Smith said: "Once again we were too nice. We had a chance to finish them off but failed to take the chances.

"It has been the same story for the past five weeks - creating opportunities but not taking them. We got the early goal and then threw it away.

"At the moment, it's just not happening up front for us. I'm looking to bring somebody else in but it has to be the right person."

Smith said he had already spoken to one striker, from a Dr Martens Premier Division side, and was hoping for a decision in time for Reds' match with Racing Club Warwick at the Valley Stadium on Saturday (kick off 3pm).

"We have three crucial matches over eight days against Warwick, Paget Rangers and Atherstone United. We have to get nine points from those games - nothing else will do," Smith said.

"Too many players under-performed - they were looking for excuses. They will get what's coming to them at training this week."

Midfielder Martin Myers was one of just a handful of players to impress against Belper.

His 16th minute header, from an excellent Stuart Hamilton cross, put Redditch in control and, if Nicholls and Bennett had taken further chances, Smith's side could have cruised into the next round.

But Belper survived scare after scare and levelled on 28 minutes when Darren Turner blasted home from 30 yards before Steve Kennedy had a header cleared off the line by Scott Colcombe.

Man of the match Myers added a second on 35 minutes but Hamilton failed to appear at the start of the second half and Redditch lost their supply line.

In contrast, the visitors brought on pacey striker Brendan Morgan and he injectednew life to the visitors' attack.

He had an effort cleared off the line by Colcombe on the hour but by now Belper were in control and Cunningham rattled home an equaliser five minutes later after some sloppy defending.

Myers was denied a hat-trick by the woodwork on 75 minutes but it was the visitors who secured victory seven minutes from time, Cunningham forcing the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.