Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett has been forced to strengthen at right-back after being besieged by availability issues during pre-season, admitting the Stones are slightly behind in their preparations.

Right-back was a position the vastly-experienced Bartlett had been happy with after the signing of Oliver Duffy from Hanwell Town.

However, with James Hammond departing and Carl Martin taking up a coaching role with Watford’s Under-18s alongside playing for the National League South side, Bartlett’s plans have been thrown into disarray with the news Duffy will now go travelling.

“I would say we are probably a little bit behind,” admitted Bartlett. “We have got another little problem at right-back in that we have signed Olly Duffy but he has made the decision to go travelling now.

“I had a long chat with him last night and he feels really guilty but his circumstances have changed.

“It has been a tough time this pre-season,” stated Bartlett. “A lot of things have gone on which you would not believe.

“He (Duffy) does not have an issue with club and won’t be playing elsewhere but circumstances in his life mean he is going to go travelling with his brother.

“Carl Martin will be at Hull City on the first game of the season. We will be at Bath City. I went away and we had three right-backs. I came back in the early hours yesterday and we have got none.”

Bartlett missed Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by National League side Dover Athletic whilst he was on holiday but returned to take charge of Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat by Wycombe Wanderers of League Two.

And he was pleased with what he saw after fielding a patched-up back four.

“I felt for an hour on Tuesday we did well against a side who reached the League Two Play-Off Final last year. Despite the scoreline there were a lot of positives.

“Hopefully in three weeks we have not only got the sharpness back but those missing players as well.”