EXCLUSIVEIPSWICH today moved to sign Accrington Stanley hot-shot Gary Roberts.Town are close to clinching a deal that will bring the 22-year-old winger or striker to Portman Road on loan until January.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH today moved to sign Accrington Stanley hot-shot Gary Roberts.

Town are close to clinching a deal that will bring the 22-year-old winger or striker to Portman Road on loan until January.

That will give boss Jim Magilton an opportunity to assess the one-time Liverpool schoolboy and decide whether to make the move permanent when the transfer window re-opens at the beginning of next year.

Roberts has been under review by a string of clubs this season after finding a rich vein of scoring form that has seen him find the net eight times in 16 games. He grabbed 13 goals last season as Stanley won the Nationwide Conference to regain Football League status after a 44-year gap.

After failing to make the grade at Liverpool, Chester-born Roberts was snapped up by Crewe but he managed just two senior starts, plus a further two appearances as a substitute, in his time at Gresty Road.

Stanley feared they would lose Roberts in the summer and after rejecting two offers from Yeovil they managed to persuade him to sign a two-year deal.

Roberts has scored 26 goals in 74 appearances for the League Two side and his performances this season have attracted a posse of scouts.