DESPITE having suspension, injuries and doubts over extending the loan spell of defender Shane Killock, Guiseley are not looking to add to their squad strength over the festive period.

The Lions, who are at home to Leamington tomorrow in Vanarama Conference North, then face four league matches in ten days covering Christmas and New Year.

Striker Adam Boyes, who was dismissed in the lacklustre FA Trophy defeat at home to Chorley last weekend, has been given a three-match ban from December 27 to January 4, while Killock, sent off at Stockport County on December 13, also has a three-match suspension, which starts this weekend and finishes on December 28.

Bower said: "We are a little short at the moment but hopefully we have enough to get through, and anyway clubs are reluctant to let their fringe players go out on loan with them facing two games in three days on Boxing Day and December 28, followed by matches on New Year's Day and January 4."

Killock's two-month loan spell from Harrogate Town ends on December 31 but Bower added: "He wouldn't have been available to play for us against Harrogate Town anyway on December 26, even if he hadn't been suspended, and January 1 but we have started preliminary talks with them about extending his loan deal."

At least the third-placed Lions have had some good news regarding defender Ryan Toulson, who suffered a bad gash on the inside of his right leg during the Chorley defeat.

"We feared at first that there might be muscle or tendon damage," said Bower, "but there isn't. Even so, Ryan is likely to be out for four to six weeks, but we have the experienced Andy Holdsworth, who replaced Ryan on Saturday, to step in."

Although Leamington are only 18th in the table, Guiseley's manager is wary of them, noting that they were unlucky to lose 3-1 at AFC Fylde on Tuesday, that victory pushing the Lions down from second.

"Leamington have lost experienced players this week in Stefan Moore, who has joined Solihull Moors, and defender Stuart Pierpoint, who has been released, but I am sure that they will sit back tomorrow and try and hit us on the counter-attack."