MARLOW FC have endured a dismal week as they suffered a three-goal defeat on Saturday and were then hit for five on Wednesday evening.

Mark Bartley’s men are now 17th in the Southern League Central division with eight points from their first eight games.

Northwood, who were below them in the table at kick-off, inflicted the first blow with a 3-0 win last weekend before mid-table Aylesbury added insult to injury with a 5-1 midweek win.

Bartley said: “Defensively we’ve just got too many out at the moment.

“We lack a bit of leadership and are defending poorly, but we’re defending poorly because we’ve got seven defenders out.

“The injuries have all come at the same time and, more importantly, all in the same area.

“People have come in and are doing their best, but their best isn’t good enough at the moment.

“But I’ve just got to suck it up for now. I can’t really bring anyone in because then they’ll all come back and we’ll be left with x number of defenders.

“But we’ve got ten days until Kettering now and we’re hoping to have some back by then.”