There's a refreshed feel about Macclesfield Town right now, with some of the squad’s key men on the way back to first-team action.

Macc have endured a torrid start to 2012, and entered Tuesday night’s game at Morecambe still hunting their first three-pointer of the year.

But with an extended lay-off due to the winter chill, and a warm weather training camp in Tenerife proving more than worthwhile, Simpson is seeing some of his men come back into contention again.

"Ross Draper has had his pot off and he’ll be working hard, " said Simpson. "Lewis Chalmers is trying to up his fitness too but he’s a fair way off. He’s cycling and running but that’s it. One or two, like Dwayne Mattis, are probably a month away though.

Strikers Ben Tomlinson and George Donnelly were also expected to have some role at the Globe Arena on Tuesday.

"They’re on the road to recovery, but Sam Wedgbury is just a freak, he’s back in training two weeks after having a hernia operation – that’s unbelievable.

"But he’s a terrific lad, and I’m happy to have him back in the squad. He’s definitely boosted us."

As a pleasant aside from the rigours of League Two, Macc won many admirers for their FA Cup adventure, which ended in a replay at Bolton.

But Simpson thinks the run has had a bearing on their present 19th place and five-game losing run, insisting: "The cup run has cost us a bit, I did hear that Wigan were saying they couldn’t fight on more than one front than the Premier League. We haven’t been getting the results but we’ve been playing with nine out, and any squad would struggle to cope with those sort of losses

"It’s taken its toll, the upside being that it’s brought a lot of money into the club and given the fans something to be enthusiastic about, but I’m hoping the freshness from the break, the rest and the sun on their backs will allow them to come back refreshed and in a position to kick on."

The rest of the campaign will be played out without Shaun Brisley, who moved to Peterborough after Tuesday’s game.

Initially a loan move, Brisley’s departure is to become permanent in the summer, and the manager has mixed feelings about losing a prize asset – but recognises the need to move young, talented players on.

"We progress these kids and in the current climate we’ve got a decent price for Bris, it’s a good move for all concerned.

"We’ve got a reputation for bringing people through and having them move on and do well, it’s no surprise to me that we have loads of scouts at our games.

"Clubs know our reputation and players come here to get themselves out there and perhaps move on within a few years.

"Everybody gets their reward that way, that’s the way we’ve got to do business.

"Peterborough have been good in terms of the problem we had with Nat Brown’s suspension (which ends at Morecambe), and letting us keep hold of Bris. We’ve been trying to get some cover and we hope to have some new faces in very soon."