The Blues boss said it was vital last weekend that he could make so many changes to ease the workload on some of his squad.

Head coach Elliot mentioned Morgan Feeney and Miguel Azeez as two players who needed to be taken out of the firing line in the Tamworth FA Cup tie.

Captain Feeney and midfielder Azeez have been nursing issues which Elliot hopes will be quickly resolved.

“Morgs had an injection in his hip because of his bursa [an inflammation], but he’ll be fine,” Elliot told the News & Star.

“Miggy [Azeez] was only on the bench in an absolute emergency. He's got an issue with his knee – a long-standing issue and it's one of those ones where he needed time to settle down.

“We’ve also had David [Ajiboye] and Josh Williams, who have had little grumbles with their hamstrings, and Josh missed last week being ill and he was a bit stiff and sore.

“They both trained [and were on the bench against Tamworth] but you have to take the opportunity to be able to rest them. I don't think it would have been any different if it was a league game.”

While Elliot can now assess his options for the return to league action against Solihull Moors on Saturday, certain players who came into the side for the FA Cup fourth round qualifying round 2-1 win did their case for selection no harm.

One of those was defender Kenton Richardson, who finally made his full debut for the Blues after an injury-hit spell since his summer move from Gateshead.

Elliot was delighted with the 27-year-old’s display against Tamworth.

Kenton Richardson's display on his full debut against Tamworth impressed Elliot (Image: Ben Holmes)

“I thought he was absolutely superb,” said the Blues boss. “That is Kenton Richardson all over.

“Kenton Richardson isn’t a glamorous signing and I understand he's a Gateshead signing, but he's a captain, he's a leader.

“He's played at this level and he's played at the top of this level.

“He kept Gateshead together when it was having a really, really bad time and he drove Gateshead when I was there previously.

“When I came back [to Gateshead last season], he drove us into averaging what is effectively a winning-the-league points total.

“People like that and characters like that...they don't come around very often. He's been absolutely superb on and off the pitch in training and when he's been injured.

“It's been frustrating for him, but [on Saturday] we saw a glimpse of what Kenton can bring.

“Whether he plays the next one, the next one after that, I don't know. But I think we're a better place for having Kenton in the building.

“He had to come off [early in the second half] because he hasn't played loads of minutes.

“We want to protect him, but I'm really pleased for him. He's a big personality in the dressing room and he's just a credit.”