Nicky Hunt accepts Leyton Orient’s small squad is a concern, but believes the O’s have enough quality to survive their battle against relegation from League Two.

The Brisbane Road club sit just two points and two places above the drop zone ahead of a trip to Mansfield on Saturday.

A depleted squad, which is currently being propped up by a number of young players, is adding to Orient’s worries, something Hunt readily acknowledges.

“As a player you want a biggish squad so if something happens to your key players you have players to come in and replace them,” he said.

“There is only so much they [young players] can do. They are great lads but in a League Two relegation fight you need experience and people who can handle the pressure.

“I went through it two years on the bounce with Accrington where we had a young squad and they came through.

“If you get the shirt you have to step up, be brave and be passionate to prove we can do it.”

With transfer funds not forthcoming, O’s boss Andy Edwards is unlikely to be able to replace the trio of players he has lost in January.

Hunt admits it is tough for the squad to see team-mates leave, but insists those who remain are solely focused on footballing matters.

“Losing any player is hard,” he said. “We have been together since pre-season and the manager brought in players to build quite a big squad.

“It’s never easy when players leave, but we get paid to play football and that is what we have to focus on.”

Saturday’s game at Field Mill will also see Hunt return to one of his former clubs.

The 33-year-old enjoyed his brief spell with Mansfield last season, but says he has no regrets about trading mid-table security for the O’s relegation struggles.

“I still have a lot of friends there, staff and players, so it will be great for me to go back,” he said.

“I am looking forward to it and it will be a good atmosphere, but we just need to think about the three points.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and was captain, but I made my decision to come down and play my football here.”

The need for a win has been made all the more pressing following the cancellation of the O’s match with Morecambe, due to a frozen pitch, last time out.

Hunt’s previous experience of relegation fights with Accrington Stanley means he is more aware than most of the need to put points on the board as soon as possible.

He therefore views Saturday’s match as must-win – and insists his team mates share his point of view.

“The game being called off on Saturday didn’t help us. We wanted to play and get the three points at home to climb the table,” he said.

“Of course [every game is a must win]. We are in a relegation battle and are under no illusions now that the time for play-off and promotion talk has gone.

“You have got to be real, and we have to get ourselves out of the sticky situation that we find ourselves in before we can start to look up the table.”

“You do not want to be in and around that bottom four come April or May, believe me.

“We have got to look at the next game, and not look too far ahead. We have to knuckle down now because it is going to be a ferocious fight right until the end.”

Victory on Saturday could take Orient up to 19th in the league depending on results elsewhere, while Mansfield will be looking to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Defeat could prove to be potentially damaging for the O’s, however, and would see them fall into the drop zone should Cheltenham Town and Notts County both win.

The pair face respective matches against Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town.