ARGYLE will be without Northern Ireland international striker Warren Feeney for up to four weeks.

Feeney suffered a calf injury in training before the 1-0 defeat away to Port Vale last Saturday.

And Argyle manager Carl Fletcher has now admitted the 31-year-old will be out of action for around 'three to four weeks'.

Feeney's injury has come at the same time as forward Nick Chadwick has been recovering from a hamstring injury.

Chadwick was pressed into service against Port Vale, perhaps earlier than expected, because of Feeney's absence.

So the arrival of two new on-loan strikers this week – Burnley's Alex MacDonald and Juvhel Tsoumou from Preston North End – has given everyone at the relegation-threatened League Two club a lift.

At least one of the new recruits, and possibly both, could be included in the starting line-up against Paul Sturrock's title-chasing Southend United at Home Park tomorrow.

Although Feeney has only netted three times in 22 appearances for Argyle this season, his experience has been an asset for them.

Fletcher said: "Off the field, as well, he brings a lot to the changing room, and that's what we want.

"We want people, whether they are starting, a sub or not involved, who want the club to do well.

"It (the injury) is a blow for Feeno because he wants to do well for us."

MacDonald and Tsoumou both trained with their new team-mates for the first time yesterday.

The session took place on the 3G synthetic pitch at Salt Mill Park in Saltash because of the freezing weather conditions.

MacDonald and Tsoumou have been added to a squad which has seen striker Craig Sutherland return to Championship club Blackpool at the end of his loan spell.

The visit of Southend sees Fletcher come up against Sturrock – the manager who brought him to Argyle.

Fletcher was initially signed on loan from Crystal Palace in February 2009, and then completed a permanent transfer that summer.

Sturrock had been after Fletcher for a long time before he finally persuaded the midfielder to put pen on paper.

Although Argyle have been relegated twice since Fletcher first arrived, he has also been their player-of-the-year award winner twice.

He stepped up to the role of manager after Peter Reid was sacked in September, and has led the Pilgrims to 21 points in 19 league games.

Southend are in third position in the table, three points behind leaders Cheltenham Town, after a resounding 4-1 home defeat by promotion rivals Swindon Town on Tuesday.

The Blues also lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury Town last Saturday.

Fletcher said: "After two defeats on the spin, and a heavy one at home, they will be wanting to set that straight.

"Paul Sturrock is going to want to do well because it's against his old club, and he's going to have them fired up, and make sure they put things right that maybe haven't gone so well for them in the last couple of games.

"But you only have to look at how well they have done this season, and where they are in the table, to see they are a good side.

"We will have to be 100 per cent to get anything out of the game."

Sturrock is in his second season as Southend manager, having taken over in July 2010, and Fletcher has not been surprised by the success he has had at Roots Hall.

The Blues finished 13th last term and, despite their last two results, they are on target for automatic promotion.

Fletcher said: "I think when Paul first went to Southend there were a lot of financial issues, but the enthusiasm he has got has come through and they are getting the rewards."

The Pilgrims boss does not believe a long trip from Essex to Plymouth, coming so soon after a three-goal defeat by Swindon, will have any adverse affect on Southend.

Fletcher said: "I would expect them to be fully prepared and ready for the game. It doesn't even come into it."