STEVE Cotterill has urged striker Robbie Blake to be more ruthless in front of goal.

The Burnley manager felt the 31-year-old could have had a hat-trick from Tuesday night's Carling Cup win over Oldham Athletic, instead of his first goal of the season being his only goal so far.

And the Clarets boss has urged the former Bradford and Leeds front man to act more selfishly in goalscoring positions.

"For me he hasn't pulled the trigger enough and that has been my only disappointment since he has been back," Cotterill said.

"He has tried to fit in and be very much a team player and that would be the first thing I would emphasise.

"But, having said that, I don't want him to be to much of a team player FROM BACK PAGE when he is in and around the box.

"He had a great opportunity after about five minutes and he's tried to play Andy Gray in.

"He might be good mates with him but if I did the same, I wouldn't pass to him, especially when Robbie's got decent feet and he should have taken his shot there.

"If he'd taken that one, and the strike that he had (when he hit the post from a free kick) had been three inches the other way, he could have been coming away with the matchball tonight.

"But, all in all, I'm pleased that he's managed to get a goal and get underway."

Meanwhile, Cotterill is still scouring the market to boost his squad ahead of transfer deadline for permanent deals closing at midnight tomorrow.

The Burnley boss voiced his disappointment last week at missing out on a player he had tracked. But he insisted he would not be pressured into any rash decisions when it came to increasing numbers, and would choose his targets carefully.

"The squad always needs strengthening, but I won't do that for the sake of it," he said.

"It has to be beneficial to us because there is no point in having someone on the payroll if they are not going to play."