Although there’s a clamour of bodies outside the Moss Rose physio’s door, manager Gary Simpson has returned Scott Boden and Dan Gray to their parent club Chesterfield.

Up to eight players are out or a doubt for tonight’s FA Cup replay against Chelmsford, but Simpson has ended striker Boden and Gray’s involvement at Macc – for now, at least.

Simpson said: "I know we’re struggling for numbers, one or two are struggling for fitness and one or two others are looking for some form. But at the end of the day we brought Dan in as cover for defence and midfield but he’s barely played any football since the end of last season.

"By his own admission he’s nowhere near fit, he’s not close to the level he was at for us last season. And with Scotty, he did pretty well to start with when he came to us but his confidence was drained by his not getting any goals in the first team.

"We might come back in for them at a later date but they need to go and work hard and get in tip-top condition.

"There’s no point us keeping players here when I need to look after the budget. It’s a gamble sending them back but it means I might be able to bring in one or two in January. We’re having a look round with a view to some movement then, it just leaves us a bit short at the moment."

The duo’s return to the Spireites comes despite an injury-hit Macc side, one that faces a hiding to nothing when they host Chelmsford City tonight.

The Clarets, meanwhile, are in a rich vein of form, with little to be gleaned from their FA Trophy defeat to Bath City.

"Glenn (Pennyfather, Chelmsford manager) rested four or five players for that game," added Simpson. "We’re expecting a tough battle, there’s no two ways about it. It was a hard game down there and we know they’ll present an equally difficult task.

"We might not be in quite the best form we’ve had but we got a good point on Saturday, we lost to the league leaders Southend, who I think are a very good team, I don’t think anyone could say it was the right result when we lost at Barnet, and we played very well and deserved better at Burton, with 10 and with 11 men.

"We know that if we can find a bit of form, work hard and show the same resilience we showed in grinding out a draw against Gillingham then that’s when the results come."

Midfielders Scott Kay and Lewis Chalmers remain sidelined, while Ross Draper will complete his three-match ban tonight, making him available for the visit to Shrewsbury on Saturday. Sam Wedgbury is nursing a groin problem but is expected to play tonight.