INJURY-ravaged Wey-mouth face a severe test of their credentials when they host Dr Martens Premier favourites Nun-eaton Borough tomorrow, kick-off 3pm.
Boss Steve Claridge has major doubts on four keys players for the Wessex Stadium clash, the first of a Bank Holiday weekend double bill with the Terras due to
travel to Tiverton Town on Monday.
Midfield duo Ian Hutchinson (ankle) and Lee Philpott (thigh) are both unlikely to face the Midlanders, while defender Jamie Impey (back) and the player-manager himself (ribs) will both have late tests.
He said: "We're going into the Nuneaton game on a high having had a unbeaten start to the season, but it's so disappointing not being able to put out our strongest side for such a big game.
"I don't want to make any excuses before the match has even been played but any team would be weakened if you took four key players out, let alone at this level when squads are not the biggest.
"To be honest, we could probably do without tomorrow and the game at Tiverton on Monday to allow everyone to recover properly.
"Having said that, I'm keeping my fingers crossed one or two of us will hopefully pull through in time. But if all four of us don't make it, I'm sure we'll still give a good account of ourselves by being strong and digging in."
Claridge, who took part in the Weymouth Carnival procession this week, said he expects the clash to be easier on the eye than Tuesday's scrappy victory over Newport County.
"I expect the game will be far more open because Nuneaton will want to win the game as they're favourites. They have spent an awful lot of money over the summer after being relegated from the Conference and they will be a tough nut to crack. But one of the things that pleased me on Tuesday was the lads showed a backs to the wall spirit when they needed to and they'll need to do that again tomorrow.
"Teams who do well do so by grinding out results especially early in the season. The results in the league so far prove this season will be very tight, no one has won both their games which is incredible."
The Terras player-manager hopes the Wessex Stadium will see another a big crowd after Tuesday's attendance of
nearly 1,500.
"The support was fantastic the other night and they really made a difference when we were up against it. I had a few coins thrown at me in the carnival the other day, but it was a good job we won on Tuesday because otherwise I would have been bombarded," he joked.
"But seriously, I'd like to thank everyone who came and, hopefully, they'll be back in similar numbers tomorrow," he said.
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