INJURY-HIT Altrincham are intensifying their search for reinforcements after further fitness concerns overshadowed a spirited second-half fightback at Chester on Saturday.

Assistant-manager Neil Tolson admitted Alty were ‘down to the bare bones’ after Damian Reeves hobbled off with a hamstring problem and Nicky Clee was stretchered off after seriously aggravating a groin injury.

Clee left the ground on crutches, and Tolson, again in charge in the absence of virus victim Lee Sinnott as Alty salvaged a point with a 60th-minute Michael Rankine header, said: "We've been looking at bringing players in for a while, but there's going to be even more urgency about it now.

"They've got to be right for us, but we will be doing our utmost to strengthen, because we are down to the bare bones.

"Nicky is genuinely struggling. He was due to see a specialist, anyway, about a hernia, and we were hoping he would be able to get through the rest of the season, but it has now completely flared up.

"It's the same area, and he was just stretching for the ball when he felt it go.

"He said he felt something completely tear, so it's not looking good for him at all.

"We'll have him assessed and take it from there, but it was always the case that he would need an operation, so maybe this has forced the issue.

"The quicker we get him in, the quicker we can get him back on the pitch.

'With Reevesie, we think it's a slight niggle in his hamstring, so we are going to have to closely monitor him over the next 24-48 hours.

"Hopefully, it's not as bad as we first thought, but we will have to be very careful with him.

"It was a good point and certainly an important one.

"We've been playing some good stuff, but we all know the importance of having something to show for it.

"We started strongly and were unlucky when Ranks hit the post.

"But we had to step it up in the second half, and I thought we did that really well.

"We were good value for the draw."