CHICKERELL United boss Brendon King must reshuffle his defence following the exit of Sam Clarke to former employers Portland United.

The Chickens visit Holt United in the Dorset Premier League tomorrow (2pm) for their first fixture without Clarke, who rejoined the islanders earlier this week.

Compounding his departure is the ongoing absence of influential skipper Dan Welch, who is still nursing the broken arm he sustained on Boxing Day.

Welch will be sidelined for a further month at least and only resume training once his consultant has removed the protective cast and given him the green light.

Deprived of what was arguably his premier central defensive pairing earlier this season, King has to ascertain who should be entrusted with filling the void.

He said: “With Sam gone we are a bit short of options at the back. But we’ve got Gavin Daniels and he is someone who can do a good job.

“I’ve also spoken to Andy Graham who was at the club last year. He’s going to help us out but won’t be available tomorrow. He can play anywhere across the defence.

“We will be looking to replace Sam in the long term but I feel there are enough resources at the club at the moment to cope without him.”

On Welch’s injury, King added: “Dan’s dying to get back into playing but has to think about himself and what’s best for him. He can’t risk doing any more damage.

“He’s a fit lad and will be working in the gym in the meantime, so that when he gets the all-clear he can slot straight back in to the side.”

Holt’s notoriously heavy pitch will once again come under the microscope in the wake of the recent inclement weather.

King is desperate for the game to go ahead and revealed that the state of the pitch would determine which style of football his players adopt.

The Chickens’ chief added: “It’s normally pretty wet at Holt at the best of times so I’d imagine that conditions would be difficult and that the pitch will be heavy.

“If that is the case then I’ll make the lads aware that they won’t be able to pass the ball through Holt – it will be one of those games where we’ll have to scrap for the points.

“We have players who can destroy sides in the last third so if we can get it up there quickly then we may be able to do some damage.”

Chickens (from): Weeks, Oliver, Reader, Anstey, Daniels, Litherland, Roper, Doidge, Etherington, White, Hall, Linaker, Paice, Marshallsay.