NEW Eastleigh boss Martin Allen will be calling on a sprinkling of young players to bolster his squad for Sarturday’s FA Trophy first round assignment at Harlow Town.

Although defender Adam Dugdale is now fit after two months sidelined by injury, midfielder Jason Taylor has joined the Spitfires’ growing casualty list and on-loan winger Alefe Santos has been recalled by parent club Derby County.

Taylor, a mid-August signing from Northampton Town, is looking at a couple of months out with a hip problem.

He joins goalkeeper Ryan Clarke (elbow) on the sidelines, plus skipper Ryan Cresswell who will miss the remainder of the season following a knee operation.

Allen ran the rule over a mix ‘n’ match side of youngsters and fringe players at Gosport Borough on Tuesday where the Spitfires were beaten 3-1 by Alex Pike's National League South outfit in the Hampshire FA Senior Cup.

He said: “With the team being so young, it got difficult for them to physically compete as the game progressed, but there are certainly ones to work with in the future.

“It’s a bit of a fine balancing act at the moment with some of the younger players having to be fast-forwarded because of injuries and players being cup-tied.

“Bondz N’Gala and Ross Stearn will both play at Harlow, Scott Brown will play in goal and we’ll have some younger players making up the team.

“Stearn and N’Gala are both cup-tied for Tuesday (the FA Cup second round replay at Halifax) which means we’re down to 15 fit and available players for that one.”

On-loan Wycombe goalkeeper Brown cannot play in the FA Cup either due to the Chairboys’ continued involvement in the competition, but Arsenal loanee Ryan Huddart will be available for Tuesday’s Shay showdown which pits the winners away to Allen's old club Brentford.

Being unable to pick the same side twice is far from ideal for Allen, but the new boss is taking it all in his stride.

“It’s par for the job,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a squad in the country that’s got all their players fit and available.

“We’ll take each game as it comes.”

Harlow, ninth in the Ryman Premier Division, knocked out ten-man Havant & Waterlooville in the last round.

Asked if he was familiar with Eastleigh's Trophy opponents, Allen said: “I know their owner and some of their players, they’re a good side.I watched them in the Essex Senior Cup final three years ago.

“As always, it’s going to be a hard game. We’ll give it our best shot because we want to go through.”