Dumbarton manager Jim Duffy believes the quality of football will suffer as the Sons prepare for a hectic run of six games in just 12 days.
Duffy’s side travel to table-topping Falkirk tonight (Tuesday) before Airdrieonians and Aberdeen visit the Rock on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
The intense spell continues into next week, with home matches against Montrose and East Fife –before a tricky away trip to Cove Rangers.
And with the Sons sitting just two points above the League One relegation spot following Saturday’s defeat to Peterhead, Duffy admits the final weeks of the season will provide a stern challenge for his part-time squad.
He said: “We were all desperate to get back playing again but there has to be a degree of realism and understanding of the situation.
“You could write about it and say performances weren’t good but you have to try and understand what’s being asked of the players just now.
“It’s totally unique. You wouldn’t ask full-time teams to do that. You wouldn’t ask the top football teams who have got huge squads and resources to do that.
“But the league has agreed to it.
“Whether you think it’s the right thing or the wrong thing, you just have to get on with it.
“But it’s the quality of the football that will suffer. The fatigue aspect will play a part.
“Generally speaking as a manager you would look at each game individually but we have to look at them as a group of games just now.
“You have to decide which players to play on a Tuesday and which to play on a Saturday. That’s just the nature of it.
“Some players you can change a little bit more than others who you rely on. That’s the test it will be for everyone. We’re no different to anyone else and we’re not making excuses.
“In my mind I have to think about what groups we can change but as a team we have to focus on Falkirk tonight (Tuesday). It’s as simple as that. When that’s finished we’ll look to the next game against Airdrie.”
Duffy added to his squad during the week with wingers Conner Duthie and Rabin Omar and striker James Wallace all joining the club, and Duffy was pleased with what he saw from Morton loanee Wallace, who picked up the club’s man of the match award on Saturday – despite being a second-half substitute.
The gaffer added: “James did well when he came on. I spoke to him before we signed him and he mentioned that he hadn’t played since the summer.
“We know he’s a player who can give you something but it’s going to be difficult to get him up to fitness just now when you can’t train.
“We’ll just have to pitch him into games as and when we can.”
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