GORNAL Athletic are facing a defensive crisis ahead of this Saturday's clash with promotion rivals Sporting Khalsa.

The Peacocks will have to travel to second-placed Khalsa without centre back pairing Ross Love and Matt Vaughan, who are both serving suspensions.

Gornal are just one place behind Khalsa, who are managed by former boss Ian Rowe, and boss Andy Wyton is determined to put on show despite the disadvantage.

He said: "It is going to be difficult without Ross Love and Matt Vaughan but we will certainly go there and have a good go at them.

"This is the first real test they have had this season so there is no reason why we can't show what we are capable of.

"We will lose our threat from set pieces and won't be as imposing, but that doesn't mean we can't get something from the game.

"I may have to ask a few players to come in and try to do a job for us in defence. But the squad is confident and we can cause them problems."

Athletic go into the game on the back of a 5-0 hammering of Smethwick Rangers last Saturday.

Doubles from Geoff Hill and Tom Piggott and a Rion Francis-Mill strike gave them the emphatic victory.

"We played really well and passed the ball around nicely," added Wyton. "We could have scored even more and it shows how dangerous we can be when we are on song."