Ian Evatt faces a balancing act as Wanderers launch their FA Cup challenge at Walsall, writes Pete Oliver.
The Wanderers’ boss has confirmed that defender Eoin Toal is expected to be out for around eight weeks with a torn hamstring he sustained in Tuesday night’s win at Stevenage.
The Northern Ireland international joins half-a-dozen senior players on the absent list ahead of Saturday’s first-round tie at the Bescot Stadium.
And with Wanderers fully committed to a planned promotion push in League One, Evatt is having to manage his resources carefully going into their Cup opener.
“With the injuries we've got, we've got to protect and prioritise a little bit,” Evatt said. “To be honest there are some players that need minutes and need game time. These are fully fledged first-team players that we believe in and one or two have played a lot of minutes this season and probably need protecting a little bit, given the injuries in that position group.
“This season, over other seasons I'd say, the priority is absolutely the league, in particular with the injuries we've got at the moment. But we want to compete and win every game we are in and Saturday is no different, so I’ll pick what team I think can get the job done with in the back of my mind half an eye on Stockport in the league next week.
“We know that's a localish derby, we know it's a really big game and an important game for us to continue our league momentum. We know on the back of that game, post-international break, we'll have some bodies that are fit and available again that will really help us, so it's really navigating through this next 10 days to see how we can get on and keep everyone we've got available still in one piece.”
Wanderers face their final group game in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy after their trip to Stockport on Saturday-week.
But before that they will be looking to make progress in the FA Cup and extending a recent run of six wins in eight games since a last home defeat in mid-September against a Walsall side also going well in the league a division below.
“It’s a difficult game, one of the most difficult ones we could have got,” Evatt told Wanderers TV. “They a team that is used to winning, used to playing well, have had a great start to the season and are right up there in League Two. They are full of confidence and at home so they've got a lot of ticks in their boxes.
“But we are a team that's finding ourselves a little bit. We're growing in stature and confidence. We are gaining some momentum and, as I say, whatever team I pick I think would be good enough to go and get the result. We have to believe that and we will be doing our best to make sure that happens.
“We know we can do more and get better but I've liked the signs the last couple of games and, with the personnel we've got missing, they can only add to what we've seen in the last couple of games.
“Do I think we're anywhere near where we can be and where we can finish up? No. I think there's a lot more to come but we've also done very well to recover and respond the way we have post-Huddersfield. We're looking to continue that and Saturday is no different.”
Watch the manager’s full pre-match interview and hear from in-form midfield man Jay Matete on his FA Cup hopes Wanderers TV HERE