ROB Scott has heralded the strength of his Grimsby Town squad ahead of the table-toppers' clash at Mansfield Town this afternoon (3pm).
The Mariners retained the Blue Square Bet Premier top spot with a crushing 4-1 defeat of local rivals Lincoln City on Boxing Day.
That triumph was all the more impressive as it was the side's first game without impressive loan duo Ross Hannah and Scott Neilson.
The pair made a massive impact during their three-month loan spells at Blundell Park, but both departed before Christmas.
Winger Neilson has already agreed to join Luton Town for the second half of the season, and Town continue to barter with Bradford City over a fee for striker Hannah.
While remaining loanees Nathan Pond, Marcus Marshall and Michael Rankine played their part in the Boxing Day bonanza, Scott, pictured, insists that display shows how strong the squad remains.
"We've had some loan players at this football club who have done a fantastic job for us," said joint boss Scott.
"But I think in certain quarters – not just within the media but within certain areas of the fans – there has been a bit of slight on the players that we've got at the club, in that it's going to be the end of the world when these players leave.
"We saw on Wednesday that's not the case and the strength in depth that we've got is a real solid base to work on for the second half of the season."
Joe Colbeck returned to the Town starting line-up with a man-of-the-match derby display to fill the gap left by Neilson's departure.
And Greg Pearson's performance up front helped fill the void left by Hannah's absence.
Elsewhere, Ian Miller's commanding display at centre-back vindicated the decision to leave Shaun Pearson on the bench.
Scott added: "We've seen the competition in full-back areas, centre-half areas, centre-forward areas, wide areas and in central midfield.
"In every department we've got able replacements and we're confident going into any game that if anybody was missing or we needed to change it, it wouldn't be to the detriment of the side.
"For example, Ian Miller came in again on Wednesday and was outstanding.
"So we've got decisions to make as managers as to which way we go, but certainly everybody who played against Lincoln really enforced themselves for the games coming up.
"Full credit to those players already at the club as well because they've welcomed the loan players into the side."
