WEYMOUTH are desperate for reinforcements following their 1-0 defeat to ten-man title rivals Crawley Town at the Wessex Stadium, admits Steve Claridge.

Gavin Holligan's strike cut the Terras advantage at the top of the table to just three points as the visitors had keeper Andy Little sent off for a professional foul.

The Terras player-manager, who earlier in the day off-loaded new signing Lee Molyneaux, endured a miserable afternoon after seeing his resulting spot-kick saved by defender and stand-in gloveman Ian Payne.

And with big centre half Jamie Impey picking up a leg and shoulder injury, Claridge insists new faces are needed to prevent Weymouth's title challenge coming off the rails.

He said: "I cannot fault our effort because the lads worked really hard but the bottom line was that we lacked the quality needed to break them down.

"Losing Lee Philpott against Dorchester was a big blow because he has been in great form and we really missed his service and will do for the next couple of weeks.

"We simply haven't got a big enough squad to cope with the injuries we have at the moment and it's now got worse with Jamie injuring his shoulder and possibly being out for about a month.

"We're at a crucial stage of the season but the last couple of games have shown we do not have the depth of squad needed to cope.

"I'm going to discuss things with the chairman but I need to bring a few people on loan and do it pretty quickly."

Claridge said while he was disappointed with the defeat to their title rivals, the setback was 'not the end of the world'.

"Physiologically the defeat is obviously a blow because you never want to lose to the second place side but it's important to remember there's an awful lot of football still to play this season.

"Luckily the results have gone our way today, with Nuneaton drawing, but we shouldn't have had to count on that.

"We were poor in the first half and the penalty came at probably the right time for us.

"Had that gone in, I think we would have gone on to win. But it's just my luck at the moment that the stand-in keeper saved it.

"It was only in the closing minutes that we started to create chances but by then it was too late.

"We looked dangerous when we got the ball out wide which is why I left it late to make changes because we did not have much width on the bench.

"We need to start getting the basics right again but I'm convinced this is more of a blip than anything more serious."

Meanwhile defender Molyneaux is searching for a new club following his Boxing Day move to the Wessex Stadium from Irish side Derry City.

Claridge said: "I'm desperately disappointed because I waited a long time to sign Lee and the club worked hard to bring him over from Derry.

"Unfortunately the Lee Molyneaux that joined us last week was not the Lee Molyneaux who was with us in the summer and I knew when he was at Portsmouth.

"I'm not sure what has happened with the lad between then and now but something has gone wrong somewhere.

"To say he did not meet my expectations would be an understatement so we've told him we will not be extending his stay at the club.

"Obviously that means we're another body short at the back and, like I've said, I'm going to be working extra hard to bring a few people to the club in near future."