Chelmsford City are facing their worst injury crisis for many seasons as manager Gary Bellamy fights to have at least eleven fit players for Saturday's tough Dr Martens League match at Bashley.

The latest to join the growing casualty list is defender Daniel Reeve who was carried off at half-time in Saturday's rather physical encounter at Sittingbourne.

Although initially it was thought it was only bruising he was taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed a break, which puts him out of action for the rest of the season.

Also out for the next three weeks are key striker Steve Morris and midfielder Shane Bailey (ligaments), all adding to Bellamy's worryingly long list of injured players.

Defender Shane Wardley, who also limped off in Saturday's clash in Kent, should be fit enough for the trip to Hampshire along with the recovering John Girling, Keith Newby and Brian Sutton.

"It's a real headache because I'm not sure who is going to be fit," Bellamy said on Thursday. "I don't think the club has been in this situation for a long time.

"But there's no use bleating about it as we simply have to get together and get on with it." he said. "Resources are certainly stretched beyond the limit but we shall cope."

He went on: "We have to keep our concentration and not give any goals away and be strong at the back, and then try to capitalise on our goal scoring chances."

The manager, who was yesterday still trying to persuade as yet an unnamed young Stevenage Borough player to join City on loan to help out with the club's injury crisis, is still confident that City, along with Folkestone and Newport, will be the three sides vying for the promotion spots in May.

"That was my prediction at the start of the season and I still think it will happen, particularly with the way recent results have gone which has seen rivals like Ashford and Hastings lose points," he said.

"I don't even mind if we keep winning 1-0 - it's the points that matter!"

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