MARCUS BIGNOT admits there could be further key first-team departures from Chester this week.

The Blues boss has accepted the fact he could lose more players given the club’s dire financial situation, needing to cut costs to avoid going out of business, with fans having already raised over £45,000 for the cause.

Tom Shaw, Alex Lynch, Reece Hall-Johnson and John McCombe have already left, while Telford United and Southport have both made enquiries over Chester players.

“I've been in conversation with other clubs' managers this week,” revealed Bignot. “Managers from three other clubs and obviously John McCombe has gone.

“There was a possibility we could have lost two more before this game, so look, we go into work next week with the squad we have and we will see what arises from the situation we're in.”

Bignot reserved praise for defensive duo Shep Murombedzi and on-loan Bournemouth centre-back Shaun Hobson for their displays at Kingfield Stadium, with ex-Solihull right-back Murombedzi playing for free as a favour for his cash-strapped former manager.

“James Jones is suspended and Andy Halls is injured so it was a makeshift back four but Shaun can be really happy for a young lad to make his debut and looking back I am certainly happy with his performance,” Bignot added.

“Shep had to do a job for us because we don't have another right-back other than Hallsy in the building after losing Reece Hall-Johnson, so we are limited and I really appreciate him coming out again for us.

“He played for free again, yes. Having lost Reece, in the circumstances, we appreciate what he's doing and filling in for a position that we're not strong in.

“We've got a chance now next weekend. If they show the responses they did today, then we get the rub of the green and a bit of luck then we will get a positive result and three points at home.”

“While it is mathematically possible we will still believe,” added Bignot, when asked if he felt he can still keep Chester up, having dropped to 23rd in the table and four points from safety.

“We have another opportunity now next week to start a run, as we need a run of results to get ourselves out of it.

“Of course it's difficult (to remain focused) but no one could question their effort, off the ball, all we're disappointed about today is we didn't have that quality in the final third.

“We showed a positive response to going a goal down, we showed a positive response to their sending off, we had momentum but we just lacked that final ball into the box or that finish and on another day it hits the bar and goes in.

“We've got to keep on that belief and go into Saturday looking to build this run of results.”