Former Pompey defender Sam Magri a doubt for Hawks’ home National League South clash with Dulwich Hamlet

Former Portsmouth man Sam Magri, an ever present so far in 2020/21, is a major injury doubt.

Magri started off partnering Moussa Diarra in Sunday’s FA Cup win over Cray Valley Paper Mills, though he was later switched to the right side of a defensive three once Godfrey Poku was sent off and boss Paul Doswell changed the system.

Craig Robson, who came on as a sub against Cray Valley, is the likely candidate to replace Magri as Hawks face a Dulwich side yet to win in 90 minutes in seven league and cup matches this term.

Key midfielder Josh Taylor didn’t train yesterday, but Billy Clifford is available again after serving a one-game suspension for his red card at Dartford.

Poku is also available as his one-game ban - for two yellow cards against Cray - takes in next Tuesday’s league trip to Bath City.

New signing Danny Kedwell goes straight into the squad, but will almost certainly start on the bench.

The 37-year-old has been playing regularly this season, albeit for Gillingham-based Hollands & Blair in the Southern Counties East League - three tiers below the National League South.

‘We need to bring Danny up to speed again,’ reported Doswell. ‘He’ll probably be on the bench and we can bring him on late on if we need to go long.’

Tonight is the first of two home league games in four days as FA Cup heroes Oxford City visit Westleigh Park on Saturday.

Doswell watched Oxford beat three divisions higher Northampton in Monday’s FA Cup tie - one of a record 10 wins for non-league teams against EFL opponents in the first round - and was very impressed.

‘They were brilliant,’ he remarked. ‘They are the best side I have seen in the National League South this season.

‘They could have beaten Northampton by four or five, they weren’t your average non-league side - they were very fluid.’

Doswell added: ‘The quality at our level is getting better and better.

‘There are a lot of players who could play in the EFL deciding to play in the National League and National League South.’

Though the FA Cup has taken up much of Hawks’ recent thoughts, the players will be made very aware of Dulwich’s potential.

Doswell and his performance analyst Scott Munro sat through videos of three of Hamlet’s four league games so far on Monday.

‘I then went home and watched Oxford v Northampton,’ revealed the manager.

‘At 1am in the morning, I decided to put on iPlayer and I sat through the whole of Marine’s game at Colchester and extra time and penalties.

‘That’s five games in a day I saw, and we’re supposed to be part-time at this level!’