United boss Keith Millen confirmed that there is some slightly better news om the injury horizon with club captain Callum Guy edging closer to a return to action.
The influential midfielder left the pitch during he first-half of the Salford away game with a tightening of a muscle in the back of his leg, and has returned to training this week.
“Callum is the closest amongst the other injuries and he might be available for the weekend,” he explained. “It’s still early days, but he’s done some work this week.
“He didn’t train with us on Tuesday but he’s looking a lot better medically.”
“There’s been some more positive news as well,” he added. “Brennan [Dickenson] has seen the surgeon this week and had the news that he hopefully doesn’t need surgery, which is good.
“We can step his treatment and his work up so he can hopefully get himself fit again. I’ve only just found out this morning that we don’t think there’s any need for surgery.
“I’ve not really sat down with him yet, but as far as I know they’ve said he can build up his training. Hopefully he’ll get no reaction and get some confidence in his knee.
“I don’t know any further than that. As each day goes by, I’ll be guided as he does his work, but it’s good that he doesn’t have to go and see the surgeon again.”
And on Gime Toure, who had to cut short a loan spell with Aldershot due to a groin problem, he told us: “He’s one that had a little upward spike in how he felt, had two or three really good training days where he loaded quite heavily, and he’s a little bit sore from that.
“Whether he did too much too early, or it’s just a case of his body getting used to doing continuous hard sessions, we don’t know.
“He’s had to just step back a little bit from what he’s doing. It’s not ideal, the grass pitch here is waterlogged or heavy.
“Gretna’s great as far as the surface is concerned but the only downside is you don’t really want to be changing surface one day to the next.
“That can have a bit of an impact on players that have carried a bit of an injury or some sort of concern. It’s difficult to assess when he’ll be back.
“It’s a bit like it is with Brennan, he’s just got to build his training up and we might have to look at how much loading we do, and how he manages his week. He’s still getting over the surgery.”
“Obviously we also have Kelvin [Mellor] and Joel [Senior,” he continued. “When you lose your two main right backs with bad injuries it isn’t good.
“Kelvin is still out with his ankle and we’re gutted for Joel. Joel is due to have his surgery in a couple of weeks, so fingers crossed that goes well for him.
“That gives me a decision to make when it comes to that position. I always look at the opposition and what they do well, and what weaknesses they’ve got, as well as the balance of the team.
“I don’t just look at one individual, it’s about having the right balance and partnerships. Whether we go to a back four or stay with the back five, it’s about the players I’ve got available and the opposition.
“There’s a lot that goes into each game, and it’s about getting the best out of each individual and trying to play them in the position that is going to get the best out of them.”