Workington Reds were without two players because of COVID-19 in Monday’s NPL West derby win at Kendal Town.
Manager Chris Willcock now faces an anxious few days to see whether any more positive tests will be forthcoming before the next game on Saturday at home to Clitheroe.
Willcock said: “I was looking forward to having three senior players back for the Kendal game which would leave just three absentees.
“But in the last 24 hours before the game we lost a different three players – two of them through COVID and one from injury – leaving us without six again for the second game in a row.
“I keep saying that I have never experienced anything like this in all my time in the game. Just when we seem to be getting through it, somebody else has to drop out. It’s unreal.”
Reds had six senior players missing for the 3-1 derby win and at one point in the season had nine unable to play because of injury.
Workington had an excellent win at Clitheroe early in the season to go top of the League and completing a double would be a fine start to the New Year.
But Clitheroe, who were 5-1 winners on Monday in their own derby game against Colne, are in decent form just below Reds in the table but four points adrift.
There’s a further four point gap above Reds to leaders Marine who were 3-0 home losers to Bootle on Monday.
“We can’t be overconcerned with what Marine do,” said Willcock.
“We just have to keep concentrating on our own performances and make sure we find the consistency to maintain a winning run.”
