Workington Reds are down to the bare bones for Saturday’s tough NPL Premier Division trip to Ashton United.
Injuries and suspensions have piled-up for Danny Grainger and his team who produced a remarkable recovery on Tuesday night to earn a 3-3 home draw with Worksop.
That stretched Reds unbeaten run to five games – a win and four successive draws and there’s little doubt that under the circumstances Grainger would take another draw tomorrow.
Joe Bunney and Steve Rigg are both suspended while his centre-back pairing were both hurt in an aerial collision on Tuesday.
Sam Smith broke his nose and is a definite absentee while defensive partner Niall Brookwell is still in doubt with a badly cut forehead.
Graiger said: “Sam is going to see a specialist on Tuesday but the nose is still badly swollen at the moment for anything to be done with it.
“We are going to have to leave Niall until as late as possible just to see how he is.
“I am very hopeful of getting paperwork completed later today to bring in a loan player, and I am also going to be ringing round a few clubs to see if they have people available.
“Camron Gbadebo has been on trial this week with a Conference South club and I will find out later today just what is happening there and whether he will be back for us at Ashton.”
Reds were also without experienced mid-fielder Jamie Devitt against Worksop but be should be available again for the trip to Ashton.
Cieran Casson, who would have been a possibility to stand in at centre-back, has added work commitments this month and has used all his leave.
Grainger added: “It’s a hard enough game with a full squad because Ashton are up there in the play-off positions.
“I know we beat them 5-0 in the opening game of the season but they have rapidly moved up the table from then.
“Their boss Steve Cunningham is probably my closest pal among the League managers and I think he owes me a pint on Saturday for that opening result at Workington sparked them into life.”
