They can't even call themselves walking wounded, but despite being short of personnel Tech Old Boys continued their dash to the Manawatu League playoffs with a 7-0 win over MCOB on Saturday.
Leading 4-0 at halftime at Gonville Domain against a visiting team which did not have many reserves either, TCOB put the match away yet left coach Langley Atkinson still waiting on a complete performance.
"We played okay but still, not enough consistency," he said.
MCOB are lower on the table but can prove one of those bogey teams who bring sides down to their level.
That "perfect" game for TCOB could still be a while off given the casualty sheet is not getting any shorter.
Atkinson was pleased to welcome back son Martin. The Junior Black Sticks training group member is completing some rehab and while he is still getting back into training, his workload on Saturday was good.
However, Central U21 representative Kane Watkin, who scored a goal, is now on the injured list - joining Brad Williamson and Brett Puklowski.
"We don't have any spares at the moment and when you have four injured it makes your bench pretty skinny," Langley Atkinson said.
Other goal scorers on Saturday were Craig Hilbourne with a double, along with Matt Ford, Callum Wilbur, Bryce McKenzie and Patrick Reynolds.
In the other match at Gonville, the young Rangers team gave their more favoured Palmerston North Boys' High School opposition a lot to think about before going down 3-0.
PNBHS led 1-0 for most of the game but Rangers had their opportunities to score and they were pushing it late in the game which let the visitors capitalise for two more scores.
Collegians were struck by the curse of having half their squad overworked while the rest were rusty, going down to HSHC Evergreens 7-0 in Palmerston North.
Collegians bye week was followed by Queen's Birthday weekend with no club games. The younger members were part of the Wanganui women's U18 team competing at the Central District's selection tournament.
Wanganui U18 came third overall, with goalie Charlotte Dixon, Jessica Watkin and Pippa Norman making the CD team.
However, only Collegians U18 players trained the Wednesday before that tournament and after four straight games it was decided not to practice before Saturday to give them a break.
Manager Kellie Watkin said hindsight showed that was a mistake for the Collegians squad not to run together. "Once [Evergreens] got a couple of goals up, that was it. It just fell to pieces.
"We'll have to be looking at our defence - we left our goalie standing quite a few times."
Watkin said the squad lacked intensity and the Evergreens, who had all their Masters players back, have proved a bogey team despite both sides being in the lower end of the table.
"It's our second hiding from them, then we play the top of the table and lose by just two goals."
Collegians had their chances but struck the goal posts twice.
There will be a bit to work on before they play TCOB women in at Gonville this Saturday.