Ian Allinson said St Albans City were without three of their squad against Braintree Town due to “precautions” taken as part of their COVID-19 protocol.

Full-backs Luke Warner-Eley and Devante Stanley as well as midfield playmaker David Noble all missed the 2-1 National League South success over the Irons, with the boss admitting that all three would have made life a lot easier for his team.

But he also said that leaving them out was the right thing to do.

“We’ve got a 20-man squad, which is probably too big but we understand where we are with the virus,” he said.

“We had to take precautions with three players, Luke Warner-Eley, Devante Stanley and David Noble.

“One was feeling a little bit unwell and so we have sent him for a test and the others have been around a couple who have got the virus.

“There’s a protocol we have to follow.

“We lost three players but if the tests come back negative, we might have one or two of them back for Dartford.”

The large squad is not something usually associated with the former Arsenal and Luton Town forward but in these days he feels it is necessary.

And with the advent of the club’s new academy players supplementing that squad, the City boss said there wasn’t a thought to bring players in from the suspended step three divisions on four-week loans like Welling United and Hemel Hempstead Town have done.

He said: “We trained in open spaces on Saturday and have added three or four of the academy boys to our bubble, just to make sure the squad is around 23 or 24.

“Going to the lower leagues wasn’t something I looked at. I’m not one who wants to disrupt what we’ve got.

“I didn’t want that disruption at this stage of the season.

“If we had injuries then we’ve got the academy boys who have done really well when they have come in.

“I wouldn’t have a problem in playing them.”