Braintree Town manager Danny Cowley admits it will be a struggle to get a fit team on the pitch for their Vanarama National League game against Grimsby Town on Saturday.

The Iron will be marking Non-League Day with a home date against the Mariners, but are still feeling the effects of a punishing night of action during their 1-1 draw at Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.

Cowley was proud of how his players put their bodies on the line, but with Sam Habergham and Chez Isaac coming off with a dead leg and hamstring problem respectively, Dan Sparkes struggling with a groin injury and Mark Phillips battling for illness, the Iron boss knows it will be a challenge.

He said: “They had a lot of fatigue in their bodies after the game at Cheltenham and they have been recovering.

“Until they have done that and got the muscle soreness out, then we won’t really know.

“We are massively stretched, though, and it will be a challenge to just get 11 fit players out there.

“Sam (Habergham), Chez (Isaac) and Dan (Sparkes) are all struggling after Tuesday, while Mark Phillips had the knock that meant his ankle and foot were badly swollen after the Eastleigh game and Matt Fry is still on his way back.

“Matt is getting closer and he is doing running and ball work now, so he is a possible for the week after, but I don’t think so for the Grimsby game.

“So we are likely to be hugely challenged, but that’s what you get with a smaller squad and we knew all about that when we came here.

“You have to stay on the right side of injuries when you can, but when the boys work as hard as they did at Cheltenham on Tuesday, it’s inevitable that you will pick up injuries.

“The rest of this week is now as much about recovery as preparing for Grimsby, which is a great game for us and one we’re all looking forward to.

“I think they have probably been the most consistent side in this division over the last couple of seasons.”