TAUNTON Town go into this Saturday’s match away to fellow playoff hopefuls Evesham United without at least two of this season’s big-hitters.

Owen Irish misses the trip to the Spiers and Hartwell Jubilee Stadium due to suspension, having been sent off in the Peacocks’ 3-0 loss at Larkhall Athletic.

On that match, boss Leigh Robinson said: “We were a bit surprised by the conditions.

“They had four good chances and scored three goals; we had four good chances and didn’t score, and the red card had a massive impact.”

Robinson was able to field Craig Duff at Larkhall, the forward having been a long-term injury absentee, but doubts remain over Matt Wright.

The striker has missed the past couple of games with a neck injury, and it appears he is not yet 100 per cent despite physio work.

Could he return against Evesham? “Fingers crossed, but not guaranteed,” said Robinson.

The possibility that Wright (26 goals this season) will join fellow striker Jordan Rogers (27 goals) – completing his two-match ban for 10 yellow cards – and Irish (13 goals) on the sidelines means the Peacocks may face Evesham without three of their top four scorers.

Irish’s fellow centre-back Matt Villis (hamstring) is also still out, so Robinson would seem to face a choice between changing his 3-5-2 formation or deploying players in unfamiliar positions.

Either way, the boss will look to the likes of Craig Veal and Ross Staley – Town’s third and fifth top scorers this season, and both in good form of late – to step up to the plate in their team-mates’ absence.

Looking ahead to Evesham, Robinson said: “It should be a tough and physical game.

“They need the points, but we want to respond to last week, and the lads are well capable of doing that.”