PADIHAM manager Steve Wilkes is to impose a ban on any of his players participating in Sunday League football.

The Division Two leaders have suffered two casualties in the space of a month, with goalkeeper Rob Batty set to undergo knee surgery today, while Lee Webb is out for at least 12 months after breaking his leg last Sunday.

The horror injuries have led frustrated Wilkes to call time on members of his squad playing for any teams other than Padiham.

"My players aren't paid wages so, technically, I can't stop them from doing anything. If they want to play football on a Sunday, that's fine, but they will no longer be considered for Padiham," the Storks boss said.

"That's the way I've got to go now because we've lost two players.

"I'm disappointed for Lee because it's a bad break and something like that is very hard to come back from physically and mentally."

Meanwhile, Wilkes has warned Padiham can't afford to drop any more points if they are to hang on to top spot. And Daisy Hill are first on his hit list tomorrow.

"Our lads are a little bit low on confidence, but I don't know why because we're still top of the league," he said.

"At the beginning of the season we were playing so well and into a winning habit. But it's just as easy to get out of that habit.

"No disrespect to any of the teams we're playing in the next month but we've got to be looking to pick up at least 10 points out of a possible 12."

Meanwhile, Wilkes's former club Darwen will be looking to continue their revival when they go to New Mills tomorrow.