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The Bulls' minimalist squad could be stretched further after Stuart Fleetwood revealed an injury to a shoulder.
The striker was off-key in the second half of last night's game, and has now told his Twitter followers that he is to have treatment on the problem:
'In for treatment on my shoulder @ 10, can see a cortisone injection coming on.... #bigneedle'Fleetwood joins Joe Heath on the treatment table with the former Exeter full back reported to have a cracked rib. With the left side already a weak position for the Bulls, there will need to be a decision made over what to do should Heath's injury be confirmed. A cracked rib can, in the least severe of cases, be resolved in a week, but a longer lay-off is not uncommon.
Many fans want to see the central partnership of Stefan Stam and Ryan Green restored to the defence, leaving Rob Purdie and - originally - Heath to fill the full back berths. That quartet conceded just one goal in the opening two games, with the boo-boys quick to round on Michael Townsend's return as the cause for the two heavy defeats in the past five days. Any absence of Heath is likely to force Green to remain at right back so that Purdie can operate on the left.
Adam Bartlett's absence last night, his first missed League game for the Bulls, was due to a thigh injury picked up at the weekend. The former Kiddy man was told that it needed rest to avoid a longer lay-off. Russell Hoult's first start for 18 months saw a solid first half display, but as the team performance deteriorated he soon followed. With Dan Connor seemingly on the verge of a departure over his injury problems, a decision will also have to be made on the keeper situation.
With the stretched squad beginning to collect injuries, it is fast becoming a matter of urgency to resolve the squad's budgeting problems and acquire new faces.
Update: Fleetwood has told his Twitter followers that the shoulder problem has been ongoing for the last six months and was not picked up last night.