AFC TOTTON must kick off a hectic spell of six games in 15 days without striker Tony Lee.

The Stags, who host Shortwood United on Saturday (3pm), have not ruled out the ex-Eastleigh and Poole Town marksman returning towards the end of next week, but there is no guarantee he will be fit.

It’s a major blow to the play-off chasing Stags whose modestly-sized squad will be fully stretched as they play catch-up following weeks of snow and rain-related postponements.

Lee aggravated an old ankle injury in the 3-0 defeat at Cirencester two weeks ago and has not kicked a ball since.

“The ankle ballooned right up,” said manager Louis Langdown. “He’s had treatment but he’s not anywhere near ready yet.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare, but it is what it is.”

After hitting the road to Paulton Rovers on Tuesday (7.30pm), eighth-placed Totton stage their rearranged home game with Winchester City next Thursday (7.45pm) before resuming their travels to Didcot next Saturday.

The following Tuesday they go to Yate Town before closing the season with successive Saturday games against Wimborne (home) and Evesham (away).

“Teams like Winchester and Didcot are up and around us and it’s a bit of a shame we have to play all these games now, but we just have to get on with it,” said Langdown.

“I thought I liked being around these lads, but that could all have changed by the end of next week! he laughed.

“We’ll have a look at where Tony is for the Winchester game.

“We’re desperate for him to be playing again.

“Some of the guys will have played three on the spin by then and, if we can push Tony back in next Thursday, it will be squad rotation by default.

“We don’t want to rush him back too quickly though because we could end up losing him for two or three weeks.”

The good news is that goalkeeper Shane Murphy has declared himself fit after an elbow injury.

Murphy had been a major doubt for the Easter programme, which ultimately fell victim to the weather, but Langdown said: “Shane would have played.

“It means a lot to him to play every game this season – he did it for Dorchester last year as well.

“Whether it would have been a good decision to play last weekend, I don’t know, but he’s that type of character. He’d have got through it.”