DAVID Fish hopes to have new faces in to bolster Mossley’s faltering promotion bid.
A 2-1 loss at home to Kidsgrove further dented the Lilywhites’ chances of going up from the Northern Premier League’s West Division.
Squad fragility was there for all to see as only three substitutes were named, and Jack Grundy and Jack Banister went off injured in the first half.
But manager Fish hopes to have as many as three signings at Seel Park this week as he faces a spell without Shane Killock, who was sent off for handball on the line in the incident that led to Kidsgrove’s winning penalty.
He said: “We need new blood to freshen things up.
“We’ve got a few injuries and we’ve been trying to bring players in.
“There are a couple we’re waiting for international clearance for, a couple we’re talking to and a loan move lined up but we can’t do it until Monday.
“That’s one lined up, we’ve got to speak to another who hopefully comes in then too and a couple we have signed but we’re waiting for that clearance. One has been in for three or four weeks, so hopefully that comes back soon.
‘So it could be three. Hopefully Kane Hickman and Freddie Sass are back next week, which will be another two.
“We’ve been trying to bring players in for a few weeks now but it’s not easy at this time of the season. Good players who can make a difference are usually at clubs who are doing well, so they want to stick around.
“And with the injuries, that meant we couldn’t change shape or do much. We started with a centre half at left back, the left back we’ve got we’re waiting for international clearance on.
“A small squad has served us well this season but now I think it’s causing us a few problems in terms of freshness.”
Nicky Clee’s free kick, which went in off the crossbar, put Mossley ahead but they struggled in a bumpy Seel Park surface.
And after Kieran Knapper’s equaliser, Jimmy Garlick scored the 88th minute penalty that doomed them to defeat.
Fish admitted: “I don’t think we played well at all. The pitch allowed that as it didn’t suit our game.
“They were happy to break down the game, it suited them and we didn’t revert to Plan B often enough.
“We let the game pass us by a bit. We didn’t ask enough questions.”