Steve Burr and his stuttering Chester FC side have a stern test in West Yorkshire on Sunday against FC Halifax Town (3pm).
Altrincham won 2-0 at the Swansway Chester Stadium on Boxing Day to make it six games without a win for the Blues, who look a pale shadow of the side that produced some excellent attacking football through October and November.
Burr has pointed to the loss of loan forwards Matty Hughes and Rhys Oates as a significant factor in the downturn in performances but the manager had hoped others would step up and fill the void, which has not happened.
With games at Altrincham on New Year's Day and at home to Braintree Town on January 4, the Blues need to find a positive result from somewhere or could start 2015 looking nervously over their shoulders.
Burr said: "Halifax have had a good start to this season and they've got some good players there though so we know how difficult it will be.
"We've lost a couple of influential players here that were doing well but in saying that I'm a believer that if they are not here it's up to somebody else to go and grab that spot and we've just haven't really seen that as far as I'm concerned since Rhys has gone and Matty's gone."
Halifax drew 2-2 at Gateshead on Boxing Day with powerful midfielder Lois Maynard getting both goals, who has scored six times in his last six appearances.
Neil Aspin's side have lost just once in six games and seventh in the table, one point behind Woking in the final play-off place.
Richard Peniket, Scott Boden and Matty Pearson netted in a 3-0 win for the Shaymen at the Swansway Chester Stadium back in August.
Fax midfielder Danny Schofield said of the game with Chester: "When we played them last time I thought it was one of our best performances and we were on the front foot and we were hunting in packs and really pressing them throughout the game so it was a good performance.
"I think I came on and played the last 20 minutes, so we know that it will be a tough fixture, but playing at home is obviously an advantage for us.
"They are a consistent team so it will be tough. I imagine they will be well organised and try to come at us but so will we so it will be a competitive one but one we are all looking forward to."
Burr suggested after the loss to Altrincham he might change things up but with a small squad and the likes of Danny Harrison and John Disney seemingly not in his plans, Gareth Roberts suspended and Peter Winn injured the manager's options are limited.
Wayne Riley and Jamie Menagh are pushing starts but more likely could be a move away from the 4-2-3-1 formation to give Craig Hobson more support.
Burr will be counting down until the on the transfer window opens on January 1 with incomings and outgoings planned but will go with what he has for now.
"It looks like we'll have to just get by in these next few games with what we've got," he said.
"We've got out eye on several players and it's obviously just waiting to see what we can do and what we can't do.
"It's plain to see that's they're one or two that have been here that just haven't been able to step up for whatever reason and they need to go and start getting some regular football elsewhere
"We'll have a look at the whole picture and we're not going to be releasing anybody if we can't bring anybody in because it just depletes the squad but I'm sure as we get to January hopefully we'll be able to do something."
