Stanley manager James Beattie suffered a double setback as he tried to bolster his injury-hit squad on deadline day.

The Reds were set to sign a young midfielder on loan from Liverpool but, despite training with them on Monday, the deal was put on hold.

Beattie also let 19-year-old striker Marcus Carver join AFC Halifax Town on a month’s loan as he expected to bring in a striker from Rotherham.

As far as Beattie was concerned it was a done deal, but an issue arose at the League One club’s end.

“It was unfortunate,” he said. “Everything from our side was done correctly, but it was some people getting extremely busy in the middle that scuppered the deal, which I’m not happy about.

“It was people getting involved that don’t really need to be involved. Such is football these days that everybody wants a slice of the pie.

“That’s what delayed the deal and allowed the window to shut, but hopefully we’ll have somebody in on Tuesday.”

Beattie had proposed a permanent move but now hopes to agree a loan switch for the striker – and the midfielder – when the loan window re-opens next week.

The midfielder had been pencilled in to start instead of captain Luke Joyce in Tuesday night’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at Crewe.

After complaining of a tight groin, Joyce was taken off at half-time as a precaution but is expected to be fit for Saturday’s trip to League Two leaders Chesterfield.

“We had somebody in to play instead of Joycey, we were going to rest him,” Beattie explained.

“The parent club said they wanted 50 per cent of his wages, which we couldn’t cover, so he had to go back unfortunately.

“The lad was devastated and we were upset because we’d done all the team shape with him in the team.”

Although Stanley had the better of the game against Crewe, as well as Saturday’s last-gasp defeat by Burton, they are now five games without a goal.

While their build-up play was much-improved at Crewe, a lack of aerial threat was evident as several Michael Liddle crosses flashed across the box, but it’s a problem Beattie hopes to remedy next week.

“The personnel we’re trying to get in would enable us to mix it up a little bit and it would give us another dimension,” he said.

“I’m not stupid, I know what the team needs, and we will endeavour to improve the squad.

“It showed with Crewe’s cross. There was a big lad in the middle to head the goal.

“It was probably their only clear-cut chance but they converted it and we’ve gone out of the cup.”

Stanley will come up against some familiar faces at Chesterfield in Paul Cook and Leam Richardson off the field as well as Gary Roberts and Jimmy Ryan on it. They’ve helped steer the Spireites to the top of the table while Accy are bottom.

And although Liddle (ankle) has joined Laurence Wilson (groin), Nicky Hunt (knee) and Dean Winnard in the treatment room, Beattie insists Stanley will travel to Derbyshire in a positive mood.

“It’s a massive game and it’s my job to pick the lads up,” he said.

“We’ve had a discussion about where we think the main problems lie and everybody’s together.

“The lads are disappointed because of the (Crewe) result but buoyant because we’re performing quite well.

“In the last two or three games we’ve deserved more but our luck will change – and it has to, because it can’t carry on like it is doing.

“I think it’s a case of getting one (goal) and then the floodgates will open.”