After yet another eventful week in their recent history, Truro City face two long and difficult away trips within the space of four days.
City's fully-stretched squad must travel to play Sussex side Eastbourne Borough on Saturday and then Hampshire outfit Eastleigh next Tuesday in two demanding Blue Square Set South fixtures.
Manager Lee Hodges expects to travel with the squad of 13 which lost 3-2 in an FA Carlsberg Trophy tie at Farnborough last Saturday, meaning further games for former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, who made his City debut at Farnborough.
Asked about McCormick's debut, Hodges said: "He played very well and made some good saves." Regular goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe is likely to be out for several more weeks with a knee injury, while top scorer Stewart Yetton is recovering from a knee injury.
Midfielder Martin Watts continued his comeback after more than a year out, with City's reserves in Tuesday's 5-2 Carlsberg South West Peninsula League home defeat to St Dennis, but is not yet ready for a return to first-team action.
The club's continuing transfer embargo means bringing in any players is very difficult, so Hodges does not envisage any additions to the squad. He said: "Any points we get from the two games will be a bonus, but the squad are all working hard and up for the challenge."
City are anchored at the foot of the Blue Square South table after their ten-point deduction for going into administration But Hodges believes that, if they can get within a handful of points of safety by Christmas, they will have a chance of staging a great escape.
"It is a very difficult situation," Hodges said. "I don't have the chance to rest players or freshen things up and it all takes its toll." City will come up against one of their former players, Ben Adlesbury, at Eastbourne on Saturday.
Falmouth Town's new management team, Les Gilbert and Robbie Stephens, are having to cope with a shrinking squad at the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League club.
Mark Vercesi became the latest player to leave Bickland Park last week, after agreeing on a move to Newquay. Lewis Caspell and Bradley Wills have returned to Penzance, leaving Falmouth's already small squad short on numbers.
A clutch of players from the second team and even lower have been drafted in to plug the gaps. Gilbert said: "It's difficult when you're standing in the changing room and you've got five or six new players, and you have no idea of their strengths or weaknesses." Falmouth are in Premier Division action at Newquay on Saturday.
