Leam Richardson has got his eye on a number of transfer targets for when the January window opens.

The Reds boss knows his priority is to sign a goalkeeper following Ian Dunbavin’s shoulder injury which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

But he’s also looking to bolster other positions as the 15th-placed Reds look to make a charge into the top half of the table.

“Our priority is a keeper, that’s the first position we need to address,” said Richardson.

“I certainly won’t bring people in just for the numbers and January is a big time for me as a manager and the club.

“We want to bring players in to make us better and we are looking at a number of targets.”

Richardson has had to use the emergency loan market to snap up keeper Paul Rachubka from Leeds, who made his debut in the 3-3 FA¿Cup second-round draw with Oxford United on Saturday.

The club received the results from Dunbavin’s shoulder scan which revealed that he needed an operation – which he was due to have yesterday – on Friday morning and then they had until midday to register a keeper for the Oxford clash.

“It was touch and go,” said Richardson, with Dunbavin, 32, the only professional keeper on the club’s books as teenager Andy Dawber hasn’t yet signed a pro deal.

“It was probably my most stressful time in management so far – I have never seen a clock move forward so quickly! But thankfully the deal was done.

“Because of the window we can only sign Paul from week-to-week but we are sorting out a deal with Leeds to do that until the window opens.

“Paul is a top quality keeper as everyone saw on Saturday.

“I knew Paul from when he was at Blackpool, I have played against him and I have met him through the PFA. He has settled in well and Leeds have been brilliant with us.

“But we are all gutted for Bavs. I think Bavs will agree that this season has been the best part of his playing career. He has been outstanding for us and it’s a blow for him and a blow for us.

“Unfortunately in football you have to move on quickly and that’s what we have done with Paul.”

Richardson hasn’t made major changes to the side he inherited from Paul Cook – he hasn’t really been able to – apart from the coup of bringing in striker James Beattie, who now has three goals for the Reds.

But he has had the chance to have a good look at his squad, first as Cook’s assistant and now as boss and he admitted: “I am a big believer that you do not always need to change things. So far I have put the trust in the personnel we have here.

“I am not a ranter and a raver either after a match or in training. I don’t criticise people to the press as I believe it’s important to be constructive and educate the players.

“I also believe it’s not just about the games but about training as well. If the players show me Monday to Friday that they want to play then they will come into consideration. Those who don’t won’t and I will replace them, it’s as simple as that.”

Richardson admitted he is still getting over the pulsating draw with Oxford, with the Reds now facing a replay at the Kassam Stadium next Wednesday for the right to entertain Sheffield United at home in the third round in January.

The Reds led twice in the last 10 minutes only for United to come back and Oxford scored a goal in the final seconds of the game to take it into a replay.

“I have watched the game again and we were comfortable for long periods but we let ourselves down at times and that’s something we all need to address,” said the Stanley boss.

“A draw was probably a fair result but it felt like a defeat because we conceded so late.

“But we will go there with confidence and it is a decent home draw againstSheffield United if we can beat Oxford.

“You always look at getting a top six or seven side in the Premiership but, if we get through, it will be a full house at the Crown Ground and we have a realistic chance of beating them so this draw is the next best thing.”

However the focus first is on Burton Albion on Sunday in League Two – moved for policing reasons with  Derby County at home to Leeds on Saturday.

Burton are currently 12th in League Two with five wins out of 10 at Pirelli Stadium.

“We know plenty about Burton and they have a good infrastructure there,” added Richardson. “Playing on Sunday has given us the chance to have a good week’s training, which we haven’t had for a while, so we will go well-prepared.”