Newcastle Jets set to beef up the strike force around Emile Heskey - NEWS.com.au

Emile Heskey of the Jets heads the ball during the round 20 A-League match between the Western Sydney Wanderers and the Newcastle Jets at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Source: The Daily Telegraph

FRUSTRATED Newcastle striker Emile Heskey is about to be handed some much-needed support up front as the struggling Jets desperately try to reignite their play-off ambitions.

Without a win in their past four games, Newcastle slipped out of the top six after a 2-1 loss to Western Sydney on Saturday.

It was another performance that lacked any real purpose in attack and coach Gary van Egmond is set to beef up the strike force around Heskey.

Young Socceroos striker Adam Taggart, who has had only limited game-time in the A-League this season, will be in the starting side on Friday night against Melbourne Heart.

The coach is hoping his combination with Heskey will deliver some goals.

"Taggs will be in the team," van Egmond said yesterday.

"We've got to give Emile some more support and we need to bring some more natural goalscorers into the side. Taggs is a goalscorer. He's done well for us at youth level and shows composure under pressure. He'll get his opportunity."

Van Egmond said he was yet to decide if Taggart would play just in behind Heskey or in a wider role. "He's capable of doing both but we'll just see which is going to be the best option for us," he said.

The Jets have just five goals in their past five games, and two were Ryan Griffiths penalties.

Newcastle rarely threatened in the final third until skipper Ruben Zadkovich squeezed one past goalkeeper Ante Covic from long range in injury time.

Heskey was rarely in the game with service to the former England striker largely non-existent. When his teammates did find him, he was a shag on a rock and easy pickings for the Wanderers defence.

"Emile's getting frustrated, which is why he could do with some support up there," van Egmond said. "At the same time, I'd like to see him in the game more and he'll be given more of a licence to get involved as much as he can."