CERI Hughes will once again have to play through the pain as Portsmouth head for the bleak surroundings of Blundell Park tomorrow to take on Grimsby.

The Welsh midfielder was due to have an operation in London on Tuesday for a condition known as Gilmore's groin.

But such is the paucity of left-sided players, with both Linvoy Primus and Justin Edinburgh sidelined, that Hughes had to put off going under the knife.

Player-manager Steve Claridge admitted he'd prefer not to have to field Hughes tomorrow.

"Ceri will have to play," he said. "He doesn't train, which isn't ideal, but I haven't got anybody else. Justin and Linvoy have had their operations, so Ceri will have to hold on for a minute - he's not going in yet."

Claridge persists with the hope of bringing in new players, so that he can rest Hughes and other squad members who are playing through niggling injuries. They include the player-manager who has been suffering with a foot injury.

Bradford's Lee Sharpe is the latest target, and scout Andy Awford made an abortive midweek trip to see the former Manchester United star in action in a reserve game that was postponed.

"The good thing about our position is it gives us some leeway from the bottom boys, but it also gives me a little bit of time to get people in," added Claridge, whose team lie in mid-table 12th.

"If we're going getting the right players in, they're not going to come in floods. If the first signing is anything to go by, it could be one player a year, I think.

"But we are trying, and when they come in they will be quality players. They won't be squad players any more, but players who will take us on.

"I'm not going to be rushed. I know what I want, and at times you have to be strong and stand your ground.

"I know we are good enough to stay in this league and we won't go up. We are what we are, a mid-table side, no more, no less, and you have got to buy players to take you on."

Shaun Derry returns from suspension tomorrow for a game postponed just before New Year, but which has been rearranged with both teams out of the FA Cup.

Claridge said this game would tell him a lot about the qualities of his players.