REDDITCH United manager Rod Brown says he is three players short of a side who can go on to great things next season and hopes to bring in one of them in the next fortnight.

Brown is hoping to secure the arrival of an unnamed Premier Division striker but says the move depends on developments at the player's club.

Of more immediate concern is a flu epidemic which struck six first teamers for the trip to freescoring Mangotsfield United at the weekend.

Midfield Richard's Softley and Field were bed bound and four of the starting eleven had to play with the virus.

Full backs Steve Shaw and Nicky Clark, defender Matty Gardiner and striker Jimmy Quiggan were all affected but helped United restrict the league's most prolific side to a last minute equaliser, cancelling out Naveed Arshad's opener.

The illness had prompted Brown to try and postpone the game because of a lack of players.

League rules state a match can be called off if there are less than eight fit players but the visitors were hamstrung by the fact they have a reserve side and reluctantly had to travel.

Illness aside, United are injury free after the return to match fitness of Softley and Brown is hoping to have a full complement back for the Worcestershire derby at Evesham United on Saturday (ko 3pm) and has defender Neil Manton back after suspension.

Redditch sit sixth but Evesham are one of four sides who can overhaul them by winning games in hand and Brown knows a win will take the number down to three.

A win on Saturday could take United to fifth provided Gloucester lose at home to Bedworth.