WORCESTER City have been hit by a number of injury setbacks ahead of their trip to struggling Gainsborough Trinity in Vanarama National League North today (3pm).

Winger Chekaine Steele has been ruled out with a hip injury along with striker Colby Bishop, who damaged his knee in the 3-1 FA Trophy loss at York City last weekend.

There are also doubts over the fitness of top scorer Lee Hughes (knee), centre-back Sam Oji (quad) and midfielder Ebby Nelson-Addy (illness).

Manager Carl Heeley admits the injuries do not help his side’s cause as they aim to claim their first league win since early November.

“Injuries are frustrating and you don’t tend to get one, you tend to get them in a group,” said Heeley, who is also likely to be without veteran defender James Chambers.

“Sam has trained but not fully, so we will see how he feels and make a decision on him, Lee and Ebby today.

“But the players I don’t see being involved are Chekaine and Colby.

“Chekaine had a knock on his hip against Fylde which kept him out last weekend and it doesn’t look like he will be available again.

“Lee did a light session on Thursday but Ebby didn’t train that night because he was ill, so he is another doubt.”

Connor Hughes, who was an unused substitute last Saturday, is expected to feature at Northolme despite Heeley admitting the attacker had been “fatigued”.

“Connor is struggling with both of his calves which are really tight,” he said.

“He will be OK for today’s game but he has played a lot of football in a short space of time after not playing much at Halifax and I just think it is fatigue more than anything.”

With Bishop sidelined and Lee Hughes facing a battle to be fit, forward Jordan Murphy looks set to start up front, getting the nod ahead of fit-again Steven Craig.

Murphy replaced injured Bishop at York before 35-year-old Craig came off the bench to make his first appearance since early September.

Heeley said: “Steven has had a number of injuries over the last three months, so we can’t expect him to play a full 90 minutes at the moment.

“Although he is a fit lad, he is going to find that tough.

“But it is an opportunity for lads like Jordan because he has done really well for us in spells. He has had a bit of a stop-start season, so this will be a chance for him to show us what he can do.”

Thirteenth-placed City are three points ahead of their Lincolnshire opponents who will be aiming to end their four-match losing streak.

“They are below us in the table, so we have got to go there with a positive attitude and make sure they don’t get any closer points-wise,” added Heeley, whose side came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in their last meeting against Trinity in September.

“We came back well against them at home after going down to 10 men and I don’t see today’s game being greatly different.

“Obviously it does not help our cause when we are missing a number of players but the lads who are selected will be very competitive and they will want to win.”