Jake McCarthy to carry on at centre half as Hawks’ long-term injury woes strike again

The goalscoring midfielder has been deployed alongside skipper Joe Oastler in the last two National League South matches against Oxford and Bath.

That was after Joash Nembhard suffered a foot injury during the FA Cup defeat to Weymouth.

A scan has now revealed Nembhard has a hairline fracture and could be sidelined for up to three months.

It is another injury hammer blow for boss Paul Doswell following long-term injuries to Tommy Wright, Sam Magri and Paul Rooney plus injury absences for strikers Danny Wright and Jason Prior.

‘It’s very disappointing news,’ said Doswell. ‘That’s the way it’s going for us this season.

‘It hurts me to see the amount of players we’ve had out this season.’

Magri made his first competitive appearance for almost a year last night, on loan to Gosport Borough against Harrow in the Southern League.

The plan is for the centre half to play around five games for Shaun Gale’s side before coming back into Hawks contention.

Jamie Collins could well be available for the following weekend’s home game with Hemel, following a calf injury.

And Paul Rooney, who can play centre half or midfield, is about another fortnight away from being in contention, having been out since late August following a meniscus operation.

Regarding the injuries, Doswell admitted: ‘I don’t want to make excuses but it has been an issue.’

An injury-time leveller from Josh Passley gave Hawks a 2-2 draw against a Bath side who are occupying the final play-off spot.

Former Eastleigh striker Scott Wilson had twice fired the Romans in front, with Mo Faal grabbing Hawks’ first leveller on the hour mark – parity lasting only a minute, though, before Wilson struck again.

Seconds before Passley netted from a corner, keeper Ross Worner had made a great save with his feet to prevent Bath from making it 3-1 – the result by which they won at Westleigh Park last December.

‘It was a fantastic game between two good National South teams,’ said Doswell. ‘The first half was just a good half and we bombarded them in the second. It was a deserved point that felt like a victory.’

Danny Wright started, despite not being totally match fit due to calf and back issues, before being replaced by Prior - who has been suffering from similar problems - in the second half.

Doswell is hoping both players, who have been seeing osteopaths, are fit to face a Cheshunt side who followed up their opening-day win against Hampton & Richmond by losing their next 10 league fixtures.

They have improved lately, though, with wins at Hemel and Hungerford in their last three games either side of conceding a 75th minute penalty to lose 1-0 at Bath.

Hawks will need to make a change at right-back as Passley is serving a one-game suspension for collecting five bookings. And Tommy Wright starts a two-match ban for his red card on his comeback against Oxford last Saturday.

Following the midweek results, Hawks are down to third place, five points adrift of leaders Ebbsfleet who visit Westleigh Park next Wednesday.

Dartford are a point above third-placed Hawks, but have played two games more.