Northern Ireland manager Lawrie McMenemy has drawn another blank in his efforts to find a new striker.

McMenemy spent the summer trying to strengthen his front line ahead of the European Championship qualifiers, which start next month. But when he announced his squad for next Wednesday's friendly against Malta at Windsor Park, there were no new faces.

McMenemy tried to persuade Birmingham striker Dele Adebola to play for Northern Ireland and he has also considered West Brom striker Lee Hughes. Instead McMenemy will rely on veteran Iain Dowie and St John stone's George O'Boyle against Malta.

"We still have the obvious lack of forwards," he said. "That remains the biggest single problem and every team needs a goalscorer.

"Unfortunately you can't manufacture them and I have spoken to many managers and written to others asking for their help.

"I've even spoken to agents to get them to tell their players about the eligibility rules, but so far I've come up with nothing."

Adebola, who was born in Nigeria, was first included in the Northern Ireland squad to play Slovakia in March when McMenemy discovered that, as a British passport holder, Adebola was qualified for any of the home nations.

Adebola had no ties with Northern Ireland and had never even visited the province, but he said at the time: "I qualify to play for Northern Ireland according to the rules and I'm not going to say no, despite what people think."

McMenemy, though, is heartened by the return of Manchester City's Kevin Horlock, who missed a large part of last season because of a knee injury. Horlock won the last of his 12 caps against Portugal in October in Bryan Hamilton's last game in charge and McMenemy is impressed by his versatility.

"I remember him playing at Swindon as a midfielder, while Man City have used him as a left wing-back. He's back playing now and this will be the first time I will be able to assess him on the international stage."

St Johnstone defender Danny Griffin also returns to the squad, while Gerry Taggart, Jim Magilton and James Quinn drop down to the standby pool.

Skipper Steve Lomas and Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie return after injury, while Jeff Whitley, who played against Spain in June, is named in the Under-21 squad to play Malta in Ards on Tuesday.