AFTER having just seven days to assess his squad, Bury manager Kevin Blackwell is already on the look-out for new players.

Not that the former Sheffield United boss has dismissed the quality at his disposal, but with only 16 players to choose from for Tuesday night’s postponed match against Carlisle Blackwell believes they are desperately short on numbers.

“The strength of every team should be assessed by the strength of their bench and we definitely need to improve on that,” he said.

“I have no cover at left or right back, and I also only have Marcus Marshall and David Worrall to choose from at wide left and right, while young Tom Hopper is the only big man available up front.”

Blackwell’s squad was further depleted on Saturday after Lenell John-Lewis limped off at Stevenage after only 20 minutes with suspected knee ligament damage.

The Shakers’ boss confirmed that the 23-year-old striker would be out for at least six weeks with a hamstring strain, but, after a first scan on his knee was inconclusive, he is now awaiting results of a second scan.

Despite being short on numbers, with Craig Jones still nursing a hamstring strain, Blackwell had been desperate for Tuesday night’s weather-hit match to go ahead.

“It’s clear we need to strengthen, but ideally I want to see the lads in action before doing that,” said Blackwell.

“It’s great to see them putting the effort in on the training pitch, but I can’t make up my mind about them properly until I have seen them in games.”

He may not have made up his mind about their technical ability, but has been impressed by his players’ mental approach.

“I always think it is difficult for players if they don’t know who the boss is,” said Blackwell. “They may not realise it, but they can take one or two liberties and I think that probably happened here as the consistency level has been up and down.

“Now that things are more stable, that will change and I’ve been happy with the response I’ve seen from the players.

“They were really looking forward to the game on Tuesday – there was a real buzz about the place.

“I expect that to be no different against Swindon this weekend, and, with the attitude I have seen from the players, I’m confident we can get a result.”

Paulo Di Canio’s Swindon travel to Gigg Lane on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Colchester on Tuesday night.

However, the result ended a run of three straight victories, and Blackwell is wary of the threat posed by League One’s eighth-placed side.

“Every team at this level is a threat, and Paulo’s side is not short on ability,” he said.

“We have to be smart enough to work out how to nullify their threats and I’m confident that, if we can, we have enough to cause them problems.”