match - Regex .* not matching a lack of input -

hi have following regex statement:-

<a .* href="http://www.someurl/test.htm">.*?<\/a>

that matches following fine:-

<a class=op_web href="http://www.someurl.co.uk/test.htm">test</a>

however doesnt match when there nothing entered between opening 'a' tag , 'href' statement e.g.:-

<a href="http://www.someurl.co.uk/test.htm">test</a>

how rearrange statement can match @ between opening 'a' , 'href' including nothing @ all?

<a .* href="http://www.someurl/test.htm">.*?<\/a>

this because of spaces after <a .make

<a\b.*href="http:\/\/www\.someurl\.co\.uk\/test\.htm">.*?<\/a>

try

<a\b(?:(?!<\/a>).)*href="http:\/\/www\.someurl\.co\.uk\/test\.htm">(?:(?!<\/a>).)*<\/a>

see demo.

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