Ian Culverhouse faces a familiar problem as King’s Lynn Town prepare for their final midweek home game of the National League campaign.
A combination of injuries and furloughed players has stretched the manager’s imagination to its limit.
Now add Kyle Callan-McFadden and Cameron King to the mix – with both doubtful for Tuesday's visit of Stockport County (kick-off 7pm).
Callan-McFadden suffered a shoulder injury which forced him off an hour into during a typically combative performance against Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.
Influential midfielder King lasted just 16 minutes, breathing problems forcing a prompt withdrawal.
Culverhouse was philosophical after the weekend defeat to the Daggers, although he is well practised in the art this year.
“We are a scratched up team – we have to stay together,” he said. “We lost Kingy and we could have lost Macca as well so it is every man to the pump.
“He (Callan-McFadden) landed heavily on it so we have to assess him for Tuesday so it is touch and go at the moment.
“We'll be alright – we'll turn up again on Tuesday and we will give it a go.”
If Callan-McFadden fails to make it, then Culverhouse will be forced to abandon his defensive line-up of the past couple of games, when he has played three centre-backs, with Rob Howard and Tyler Denton pushed into a wing backs role.
It would leave the somewhat inexperienced pair of Tai Fleming and Elkan Baggott in the middle. Baggott is also likely to play for Ipswich Town in the FA Youth Cup next Friday so there may be doubts about his involvement tonight, and most certainly next Saturday at home to Maidstone.
Stockport are fourth in the table after their 3-0 win away to Boreham Wood at the weekend which stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games.
The Linnets were beaten 4-0 at Stockport two weeks ago and will need to cut out the errors which have been gifting goals - a dozen in the last four games.
“You can pick holes in everything,” said Culverhouse. “They know in there it was a poor day today.
“We have a team full of loanees and patched-up players – we are just ticking them off as we go along.”
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