Worcester City boss Heeley faces a defensive headache

Carl Heeley is looking to bring in a defender before the Workington game

Worcester City manager Carl Heeley is facing a shortage of defenders ahead of the home match against Workington.

Graham Ward is suspended and Rob Elvins and Shabir Khan are injured, while Mark Clyde missed training on Thursday evening with an illness.

"Every team will get injuries but the unlucky thing for us is that they are all defenders," said Heeley.

"When you lose three of your four defenders and Tom Evans is carrying an injury it is slightly frustrating."

Heeley is hoping Mark Clyde will recover in time to figure against Workington while he is also looking to bring in a player before Saturday's game.

"I have been speaking to a couple of players and I am hopeful that we can add at least one new face to the squad by Saturday," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

We have to come out of the blocks on Saturday and get a good start

Worcester manager Carl Heeley

"Obviously it doesn't take much working out that that will be a defender.

"Fingers crossed that we can have Clydie [Mark Clyde] available as well," he added.

The City boss says despite the level of injuries and the fact he was a quality defender at Blue Square Bet North level for many years, he is not tempted to come out of retirement.

"I am registered however I haven't trained properly for the last 12 months - I have just ticked over but nowhere near the level required," he admitted.

"I am suffering with my left hip caused by many years of playing.

"I couldn't do myself justice any more other than just for 10 or 15 minutes just to shut up shop at the end of the game and it's highly unlikely as it's not something I would want to be doing," he added.

The manager feels this run of defensive injuries could not have come at a worse time as he believes Workington are among the stronger sides in Blue Square Bet North.

"They have been very consistent in the last two or three seasons and they are an extremely hard-working side," he said.

"They are looking to go one better and I am sure their aim will be the play-offs and hopefully to go up that way.

"But we are in for another tough game although they have got a long way to travel so we have to come out of the blocks on Saturday and get a good start."

There will be coverage of Worcester City's match against Workington on BBC Hereford and Worcester's Sport on Saturday from 1400 BST on Saturday 18 September.