Hawks boss Paul Doswell on the search for new signings after calling off pre-season friendly due to a lack of numbers

The club were due to visit Southern League Premier South newcomers Winchester City tonight.

But boss Paul Doswell decided against taking the fixture following a head count of his fit squad members following last weekend’s friendly at AFC Portchester.

‘We were going there (Winchester) with about 12 players,’ he told The News. ‘We just couldn’t take the risk of getting any more injuries.’

Keeper Ross Worner is currently sidelined with Covid, which forced him to miss the trip to Portchester.

Captain Joe Oastler (tight hamstring), Josh Passley (quad) and former Pompey Academy midfielder Lee Suk-jae (groin strain) would also not have travelled tonight.

‘We are struggling,’ said Doswell. ‘We’ve only got a squad of 18 plus the two keepers.’

SEE MORE: AFC Portchester v Hawks pre-season friendly picture gallery

Of those, defender Sam Magri is unlikely to be back in action until the end of the year after recovering from a serious knee injury.

In addition, striker Tommy Wright underwent a meniscus operation this morning. ‘We’ve had a text to say the surgeon found something else apart from the meniscus. I don’t know what, but it doesn’t sound good,’ Doswell reported. ‘We could be looking at six to eight weeks with Tommy.’

This Saturday’s final pre-season friendly - against National League club Aldershot - will go ahead at Westleigh Park as Doswell is planning to boost numbers.

‘We need to bring in a striker, another defender and a winger,’ he revealed. ‘We’ve just got too low numbers at the moment.’

Asked if he would be looking to bring in loans, he replied: ‘I don’t know yet.’

Hawks lift the curtain on a new NLS season at home to Slough Town on August 6.