Captain Josh Staunton and defender Ben Richards-Everton are both doubts for Yeovil Town’s trip to leaders Notts County this weekend.
The pair have both received injections and are yet to train, according to Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper, who did confirm that defender Morgan Williams and play-maker Lawson D’Ath are both back in training.
Richards-Everton sat out last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Gateshead whilst D’Ath’s last appearance was almost a month ago and Williams has been missing since featuring in the first game under Cooper at Maidstone United three weeks ago.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins on Thursday, the manager said: “Ben Richards-Everton and Josh Staunton both had injections this week, so they have no trained yet. Morgan Williams is back training this week, as it Lawson D’Ath.
“Whether (Williams and D’Ath) are ready to feature yet is another matter. They add to the quality of the group and it would be great if we can get everyone fit.”
“We have one or two bumps and bruises and whether they make it (on Saturday) we will have to wait and see, but we want to be competitive and whatever team we put out we will be.”
The manager also revealed that winger Charlie Wakefield, who last appeared as a 63rd minute substitute in the 1-1 draw at Maidstone, has also picked up a new injury.
He added: “He’s got real attributes that we could really do with, but it’s not to be.”
Cooper has also called upon players who are not featuring in the matchday squad to ensure they are ready to be thrown in to the fray if required.
On loan Bristol City goalkeeper Will Buse is still waiting to make his first appearance, striker Jake Scrimshaw is yet to feature under Cooper, and fellow forwards Malachi Linton, Gime Toure and Ollie Hulbert have all had to make do with places on the bench.
Of these players, Cooper added: “One or two will be disappointed because they have not been playing as much as they would want to or think they should and that’s only natural, but it’s important they realise that football changes really quickly.
“One minute they could be out of the team, but the next there’s an injury and they get in the team and they have to be ready.
“But I can only praise the players commitment since I have been here and there’s some quality in there as well.”
He added that the arrival of wingers Andrew Oluwaborie and Anthony Georgiou, on loan from Peterborough United and Leyton Orient respectively, had given the team a lift and their pace and crossing ability pointed towards the way he wants to see his side play.
The manager added: “At any level, pace can hurt teams or put them on the back foot and defenders are frightened of pace. When you come in to a club, you have to assess the players you have and find the best way to play.
“For me, it was to try and get the ball wide and get crosses in to the box especially with Fisher.”
Cooper was also complimentary of midfielder Matt Worthington who starred in last weekend’s 3-1 home win over bottom club Gateshead playing in a more advanced position.
The manager added: “Matt Worthington has tremendous athletic attributes, so we need him to run through the middle of the pitch and create opportunities which he did on Saturday.
“I don’t want him sitting back and not being able to use his athleticism, so it makes sense for us to let him off the leash and let him run.”
A National League record crowd of more than 16,000 is expected to turn out at Meadow Lane at the weekend with Notts County top of the table and the added attraction of heavily discounted tickets.
Cooper, who had a two-month spell in charge at Notts in 2016, said the sight of a packed stadium should act as an inspiration to what the Glovers should be aspiring to.
He said: “We’re all looking forward to the atmosphere and what that brings. It’s a great achievement by Notts County to be able to attract that number of fans and it’s a little nudge to where we should be looking to be. There’s no shame in trying to strive for that.
“There’s not really any pressure on us, we can go there and enjoy ourselves, but you can enjoy yourselves more if you get a result.
“It’s a great stadium and great pitch and we are playing against a really good team, so we are all really looking forward to it.”
He added: “You have to have an intent and a plan of where you want to go and it’s important we start doing that now.
“We don’t want to be ‘little old Yeovil’ any more, we should be one of the big clubs that is being talked about in this league like Chesterfield and Wrexham.
“We should be being talked about in the same breath as those builds because not so long ago this club was in the Championship and not so many of those teams can say that.”