Gavin Cowan hopeful of AFC Telford United loan boosts

The Bucks are without key first team players in Brendon Daniels, Henry Cowans and Courtney Meppen-Walters for the trip for the north east, with Jack Byrne also serving a one-match ban.

Cowan opted to work with a smaller squad this season but the absentees have hit Telford hard, Cowan's men taking just a point from the last four games after a promising start to the National League North campaign.

And the Bucks chief is in the loan market to bolster his numbers ahead of the trip to the Quakers, who have progressed to the second round of the FA Cup but played just three league games, compared to Telford's seven.

Cowan said: "As a club we had to pull the reins in a little bit with everything that's gone on, that means my budget being cut a little bit more.

"And one thing you obviously don't want with a small squad is injuries, we've had more injuries in the last three weeks than in my whole time here.

"We're going through a tough period. Two or three weeks ago we were in a really good place but it doesn't seem to be going well for us, whatever could go wrong does go wrong."

The boss added: "We've been working hard to get someone over the line and are currently working on that.

"Hopefully two, but we're not so sure yet. There is no budget so we have to beg, steal and borrow somewhat and rely on clubs who might want to help us out.

"We need bodies in for the weekend, we've only got 14 or 15 first team players."

Cowan maintained the absentees were not excuses for the dip in form.

The Bucks have lost influential winger Daniels to a second hamstring injury of the season. Aaron Williams is back in contention having been left out in the defeat at Gloucester on Tuesday.