WORCESTER City could still be without three of their first line defenders for this Saturday's trip to Corby Town.

Ellis Deeney and Jacob Rowe remain sidelined with respective ankle and knee injuries, while captain Stuart Whitehead has joined the casualty list with a groin problem.

All three were absent for Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Altrincham, City's eighth consecutive Blue Square Bet North defeat, and are giving cause for concern ahead of the Corby match.

Left-back Deeney is a major doubt after suffering an ankle sprain against Vauxhall Motors earlier this month, while Rowe is at least a fortnight away following an injection for tendinitis.

Whitehead, who sustained his injury against Gainsborough Trinity last week, was assessed before the match at Moss Lane but was deemed unfit.

Manager Carl Heeley said: “Three first choice defenders are out injured and I can’t just go and sign another three, it doesn’t work like that. We desperately need at least one or two or two of them back.

“Rowe has had an injection in his knee but its going to be another 10 days before he can start training and he hasn’t trained for quite some time so it’s not looking good for him.

“Whitehead had a fitness test but his groin just wasn’t good. I don’t know about Deeney but I would be very surprised if he will be ready for Corby.”