Cherries look set to make a fresh appeal to the Football League to relax their transfer embargo after Eddie Howe’s resources took another battering.

Midfielder Sammy Igoe was added to a lengthening injury list after sustaining ankle ligament damage during Cherries’ 2-1 defeat at Aldershot.

The 33-year-old, who was assessed fully by physio Steve Hard at Dean Court yesterday, is expected to be sidelined for around three weeks.

Fellow midfielder Joe Partington is struggling with a persistent back injury with Cherries’ trips to Crewe and Rotherham likely to come too soon for him.

Howe is also without Mark Molesley and Shaun Cooper for the foreseeable future, the pair at different stages of their respective rehabilitations following surgery.

However, to compound Howe’s problems, his numbers have been further depleted after an unnamed first-team player broke down following the Aldershot clash.

Although Howe confirmed the mystery man would definitely miss Cherries’ awayday double-header, he declined to reveal his identity ahead of this weekend’s visit to Crewe.

And although the full extent of his injury is also not known, Howe confirmed the player concerned would be having a scan later this week.

To complete Cherries’ woes, defender Warren Cummings must serve an immediate three-match ban after being sent off during the closing stages at Aldershot.

Cummings’s suspension, coupled with the latest additions to the casualty list, has left Cherries with only 13 fit professionals on the books.

And barring any further mishaps, they will be forced to face both Crewe and Rotherham with just two outfield substitutes plus second-year apprentice goalkeeper Dan Thomas.

As a result of their diminishing numbers, the club is expected to make another plea to the Football League to allow them to bring in an emergency loan signing.

Howe is understood to have several targets in mind, although the paucity in numbers would still leave him with a positional dilemma should the league agree to their request.

Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, Howe said: “Sammy will be out for a period of time which isn’t ideal because he gives us good balance.

“We’re not sure how serious Joe’s injury is yet but he wasn’t fit enough to make the bench at Aldershot and could also be out for a period of time.

“It is a tough ask for us at the moment but, hopefully, we can use our past experiences and it will inspire us in the same way as before.”

Cherries’ rolling transfer embargo, which was put in place as a condition of the club existing administration in August 2008, was tightened fully at the start of February 2009.

A plea to increase their squad numbers to 20 with the signing of striker Steve Lovell earlier this month fell on deaf ears.