Pain no barrier for Rangers No 1

The Marston Road No 1 finally made his debut at Droylsden last Saturday but the team have let in 11 goals in two games since, against two of the top three in the league leaders and third-placed Southport on Tuesday night.

And it will not get any easier on Saturday either, when second-placed Eastwood come to town.

Rangers could find themselves adding midfield duo Jake Moult and Levi Reid to the injured list before then, joining winger Luke Morgan and striker Ben Mills on the sidelines.

But Evans - who is still struggling with an ankle injury - will not entertain letting the team dowon, especially with second-choice Tom Harrison also out with an ankle injury.

The summer signing from Chasetown said: "It's been difficult for me, because I am still carrying this injury. I am not fully fit, I am not taking goal-kicks where they stand and my ankle is sore throughout and after the games.

"But, even though I may not be at 100 per cent, I am going to give it my very best shot."

The 25-year-old will again be between the sticks as Rangers bid to shore up their leaky defence on Saturday, having already shipped 22 goals in the Blue Square North this season.

But the team have also scored 13 goals, a ratio of roughly a goal a game - a turnaround which has baffled their new goalkeeper.

He said: "To play three top teams in succession was always going to be hard on us. It's unfair to say that it's the goalkeeper's fault or the defence's fault, we win and lose as a team.

"Speaking to some of the lads who were here last year, they had the opposite problem - it was not scoring goals then rather than conceding. It's about getting that balance really.

"That something we need to work out for ourselves, because we definitely have goals in us."