King's Lynn boss Keith Webb is challenging his fringe players to grab their chance after midfielder Mark Camm was ruled out for up to five weeks with a torn hamstring.

King's Lynn boss Keith Webb is challenging his fringe players to grab their chance after midfielder Mark Camm was ruled out for up to five weeks with a torn hamstring.

Camm was stretchered off in Saturday's opening Blue Square North league defeat at Harrogate and scans have confirmed the midfielder is poised to miss Lynn's next six games.

“It's going to be something like that,” said Webb. “There's a bad tear and bleeding down to the tendon. It's a bit of a blow but the other players here must step up to the plate. We have good players and I have every faith in the squad. Injuries are part and parcel of the game so as a manager you just have to get on with it.”

Camm had only recently returned from a dead leg injury that sidelined him for Lynn's Setanta Shield cup exit at home to Tamworth. Webb is confident top scorer Jack Defty will be fit for this weekend's FA Cup second qualifying round tie against Worksop at The Walks after sitting out Lynn's Harrogate mauling with a jarred knee.

Webb was highly critical of his players' no show at the promotion-chasing Hornets as he bids to establish the Linnets as a Conference force.

“These are the sort of clubs we want to try and emulate,” he said. “It's no accident that they have been so consistent at this level in recent years. You look at other clubs and they will have one decent season and then end up falling away. It's clearly a well-run club where everyone on and off the pitch must be pulling together. Look at the clubs that have been successful and they all have that stability. Burton have it with Nigel Clough, Histon have it with Steve Fallon. It's not about quick fixes but having good people in charge.

“It has to be evolution rather than revolution. If we can get on a roll here with these players, then great, but it has to be about achieving that consistency. If not and it doesn't happen then you need to add one or two extra here and there. Some people were advocating in the summer we needed to go out and bring in seven or eight but that was never going to be the case. To attract players you need to have a settled environment.”

Lynn's league rivals Fleetwood and Hyde have both parted company with their respective managers following recent defeats at The Walks.

“I have to say I was a little but surprised but then again I have been in football long enough not to be shocked by anything,” said Webb. “Fleetwood looked a decent side. The manager who was there had brought them up through the leagues and won cups along the way. They've come up with us and found it hard but there is always a pressure attached to going up a level. You need to adapt. We've found it ourselves that teams are better organised.

“Who is to say in two or three months that Fleetwood have not turned it around and are sitting in mid table. What happens in our level just reflects what goes on higher up. I'm under no illusions that could be me but changing managers is not the way to get that stability in the club. The team might go through a spell of two or three poor results but you can't panic. People mustn't forget all the good work that has gone in before.”