DALTON Steele is backing his squad to bounce back from Saturday's FA Cup exit as the Blues manager faces a crucial month in the season.

During this time Steele is hoping to get his first fully fit squad of the season, but if the situation doesn't improve he will look elsewhere to keep the Blues in title contention.

Mark Came and David Clegg are taking longer than expected to recover from operations and another defender, Gary Talbot, could also miss a couple of games after battling on with an ankle injury at Leigh on Saturday.

Steele said: "We need to wait for the players to get fit but we also have to improve.

"I'm looking at the midfield and up front because we need another cutting edge. When the players out join the 14 who are fit, we'll have a strong squad, but we only have a certain amount of time and we need to make sure we stay up there.

"Players here put themselves on the line for the club, people do things others won't and I'll back the players I've got here to the hilt."

One player Steele is rumoured to be interested in is Justin Jackson, a forward currently on loan to Morecambe from Notts County.

The 1-0 defeat at Leigh ended Winsford's interest in the FA Cup but after last night's UniBond President's Cup tie at Altrincham they have the chance to strengthen their title assault with two home games in a week.

The Blues host bottom club Spennymoor United on Saturday and lowly Accrington Stanley on Tuesday, by which time the memory of the Leigh defeat could be well and truly erased.

Steele explained: "It was one of those games when we never got going and in the cup it's who's on song on the day.

"Last year's cup run helped to do a lot of things and the more games you play the more finance is generated, but we have to battle on and go again."

Joe Connor's month's loan to Radcliffe Borough has been made into a permanent move, with the midfielder returning to the club he was signed from last year.

Meanwhile, vice-chairman Mark Loveless has quashed rumours that a number of Football League clubs have made bids for keeper Andy Oakes and other young United stars.

Winsford have, however, recently turned down an offer from Altrincham for defenders Gary Talbot and Dave German.

Loveless said: "If we think an offer's right for a player we let them know but we have a good squad which we want to improve, not deplete."

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