Ian Culverhouse, for once, actually pulled his punches as he weighed up not just the performance of his team, but his desperation to have a competitive squad.

The Lynn boss has seen his defensive resources hit by injuries to centre-halves Ryan Fryatt and Chris Smith - and his hopes of bringing in a replacement fall by the wayside.

Culverhouse gave several cryptic responses when asked why reinforcements had not been forthcoming, insisting he didn't want to "get into trouble".

But his reluctance simply posed more questions for fans who have already seen their hugely popular manager leave the club once following a falling out with owner Stephen Cleeve - and won't want to countenance a repeat. It seems unlikely it has reached that stage, but the tale of woe suggests Culverhouse is desperate for some more finance.

"What I will say will get me in trouble so I am best not to say anything," he said. "I will get into trouble and I don't want to get into trouble.

"We need reinforcements, we have got 14 players - everyone can see what we are like."

Asked whether the situation was as combustible as when he parted company with Lynn at the end of the 2017-18 season, he said: "Hope not, but we need help. I think everyone can see it. We are going to get found out... I am not saying any more."

One of the best players on the pitch in the 2-2 home draw with Altrincham on Saturday was Ross Barrows, a right back who partnered Rory McAuley in the middle of the Lynn defence - but Culverhouse's fear is that those performances of square pegs in round holes will be found out.

His more immediate worry is the tip to Kidderminster on Tuesday night and the fact that three of Saturday's starters - two-goal hero Adam Marriott, skipper Michael Clunan and experienced midfielder Ryan Jarvis - were all nursing injuries at full-time. The option to add some of the club's youth team players is out of the question given they have an FA Youth Cup tie at Ipswich Town the following evening.

"I wouldn't like to because they have got the game on the Wednesday and that is a big game so it would be hard to drag a few of the young kids all the way up to Kidderminster just to fill a bench, so what we have got to do is just have a look at who can be patched up to go again," said Culverhouse. "That is the way it is at the moment.

"It is the same lot - they have been doing it all season for us, but when injuries kick in like they have for us this is all we have got. There is nothing else. We have a few knocks in there now so we will meet on the bus on Tuesday, have a count up and see what we can do."