Calvin Brooks and Sean Shields were assessed as late as Thursday evening ahead of Weymouth trip to Wrexham at the weekend.
Long-serving versatile full-back Brooks and this season’s top assister Shields have both played an important role in Weymouth change of fortunes since the new year.
The two wide players had been “touch and go” as to whether they would be available for the Terras’ Wales visit, but the weekend was deemed too soon for them to play.
However, Brian Stock was able to call upon January signings Joan Luque and Pierre Fonkeu to fill the void on either wing, saying that the rest at the weekend would give the injured pair the best chance of playing at Dagenham on Tuesday evening.
“We’ve gave them until training on Thursday,” said Stock.
“It was touch and go whether they would be ready for the weekend.
“We made the decision on Thursday night that it was probably too soon for them to be involved to travel away on the Friday. We decided to go without them in preparation for them to be fit for Tuesday.”
The squad-depth was not something which Stock had had the luxury of earlier in the season when he was almost forced to name himself on the bench in the FA Trophy tie with Maidenhead United.
“This year we’ve had Sammy Lander, who is our first-team coach, on the bench, and I was nearly on the bench myself,” admitted Stock.
“It’s nice to be able to call upon the calibre of substitutes that we have, it’s something that club has supported.
“There are fine lines in this game and the impact of Wrexham’s substitutions probably turned the game. When it came to us trying to create something in the final third we come up just short in the second-half.”
Weymouth visit 16th placed Dagenham and Redbridge on Tuesday evening (19:45 kick-off), the Daggers have jumped a few places in the National League table in recent weeks after two wins and a draw from their last three games.
“My message to the players after the game was to make sure they dust themselves down and think for Tuesday, because the games are going to come thick and fast,” continued Stock.
“We’re getting back on the bus with no points but at 0-0 at half-time there was an opportunity and I’m disappointed to walk away from Wrexham with nothing.
“It’s important we concentrate on Dagenham now. We’ll do all the work we can until Tuesday to give the players the best possible chance of performing and getting a result away at Dagenham.”
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