CHELMSFORD CITY manager Mark Hawkes admits it will be a challenge to freshen up his squad in order to keep them in the play-off race.
The Clarets have stumbled in recent weeks, with defeats at Weston-super-Mare and Wealdstone, and seven goals shipped.
The squad looks like it needs a boost before the business end of the season kicks in, but Hawkes is hamstrung by the finances involved.
"I've said all along, it's no secret that our budget isn't the biggest," he said. "When you've got players on contract we don't have a lot of scope for movement, which is why this season we've had to use a lot of loan players and we'll have to continue to do that.
"More worrying for me, or more disappointing, is that we've worked so hard this season to get into this sort of position, which nobody expected before a ball was kicked.
"We've worked hard and I don't want to stop there. I want to push this club on one step.
"If we could finish in the play-offs it would be absolutely brilliant.
"Even if we get beaten in the play-offs, just to get there and compete with some of these teams and some of the budgets they have would be tremendous. But we need to pick up more points."
One player who may not be at the club for the run-in is striker Jaanai Gordon, whose loan from West Ham United runs out before Chelmsford's next game, at home to Whitehawk on January 31.
He has been a valuable asset to City, with five goals in his six appearances and three assists to his name.
However, Gordon has previously indicated in an interview on the Hammers' official website that he may move on to a higher level once this loan ends and Hawkes is unsure what will happen.
"Who knows? He's got a week left on his deal, but unfortunately we haven't got a game next week," he said. "We'll see what happens. Whether Jaanai stays or we look elsewhere, I've got two weeks to sort that out, dwell on this [the Wealdstone defeat], dust ourselves down and go again."
He added: "Again with the league table we've got away with a defeat.
"We're still in the hunt, but not being disrespectful to Wealdstone or any team in the bottom half, we have to come to places like this and take maximum points if you're going to get what you desire at the end of the season.
"If you don't pick up those points on the road and at home then we'll miss out."
