CHORLEY boss Ken Wright is on the look out for new blood following his side's faltering start to the new season.

A major injury crisis at Victory Park has wrecked the Magpies' hopes of getting off to a flyer in the UniBond First Division with six of the first team squad currently out of action.

So Wright is now busy scouring the transfer market with a defender, a striker and a midfielder his top priorities as he bids to arrest the slide.

"I don't want to make injuries an excuse because every club has to contend with them at some point in the season but you don't expect to start the season with six good players missing," said Wright.

"I desperately need a left-sided defender because Mike Wallace is currently struggling with injury and Adam Critchley has had to pack up altogether.

"And we're looking a bit light upfront, too, after we lost Neil Matthews and Matt Swailes in the summer.

"But it's not easy to bring people in just like that because anyone who's any good is getting a game with someone else."

The Magpies suffered their latest set-back at the hands of Workington on Tuesday night when a mistake from keeper Simon Marsh sent them spiralling to their third home defeat of the new campaign.

Next up are Ashton United tomorrow, and with his injury problems showing no signs of abating, Wright is expecting another tough examination.

"It's another difficult game given our current circumstances and we're still feeling frustrated after Tuesday night because we felt we should have had three points.

"So I would have liked to have into this game on the back of a win with a fully fit squad but we can't moan about the situation, we've just got to get on with it."

Wright will make late checks on the fitness of Wallace and fellow full-back Paul Fleming before naming his squad.

And striker David Eatock is in with an outside chance of making the trip.

But Damien Corcoran, Simon Kay and Lee Molyneux are still some way off a first team return.