Problems mount as Hawks aim to secure successive wins at Westleigh Park for first time since October when Chelmsford visit

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Paul Doswell admitted Hawks' worsening injury list is making talk of achieving a National League South play-off finish this season appear 'fanciful' at present.

Defenders Benny Read and Jamie Collins are the latest duo on the treatment table and ruled out of the Hawks' league meeting with Chelmsford at Westleigh Park on Saturday, with the pair both sustaining hamstring issues late on in the 1-1 draw at Slough Town last weekend.

Doswell revealed he also has doubts over full-backs Joe Newton (groin strain) and Josh Passley (knee tendonitis) for the visit of the Essex side, while midfielder Oscar Gobern struggled last weekend having had a pre-match injection to help him carry on playing with a broken toe.

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For Hawks, currently 13th in the table and 10 points off the play-off places, it means they could be without SIX defensive players against Chelmsford.

Player-coach Jamie Collins, right, is the latest member of the Hawks squad ruled out through injury Picture: Dave HainesPlayer-coach Jamie Collins, right, is the latest member of the Hawks squad ruled out through injury Picture: Dave Haines
Player-coach Jamie Collins, right, is the latest member of the Hawks squad ruled out through injury Picture: Dave Haines

And after a campaign blighted by injury issues, Doswell conceded he's at a loss to figure out how he might line up this weekend with doubts over both full-backs Newton and Passley, as well as numerous over absentees.

‘All we can do is make sure this group does well between now and the end of the season to give us that real confidence going into next season,’ said the Hawks boss.

‘It’s got to that point where I don’t know. We’re hoping - the other big problem is at full-back - we’re hoping that Josh Passley and Joe Newton - neither of them are going to train - but we’re hoping if we can leave them as late a maybe Saturday morning to see if either of them could be forced into action.

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‘We’ve done the double over Ebbsfleet, this will give us the chance to do the double over Chelmsford, I think at the minute, talk of the play-offs are just fanciful now.’

Such has been the extent of injury issues faced this season, Doswell says all he can do is hope those he has available to him against Chelmsford come through unscathed.

But on a brighter note, Hawks do at least have the chance to make it three NLS matches undefeated as they welcome the Clarets - while victory would ensure successive home league wins for the first time since October after beating high-flying Ebbsfleet at Westleigh Park last month.

Doswell added: ‘It’s just got to that point - what can you do? Oscar’s (Gobern) broken toe, we put an injection in it on Saturday, that didn’t really work - he was in massive discomfort.

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‘McCarthy (Jake) will have to play centre-half on Saturday because we haven’t got anyone else. All you do then is get through Saturday and wait for the next week to see if everyone has come through.’

Read and player-coach Collins join longer-term absentees Sam Magri (ACL), Paul Rooney, Guy Hollis (knee) and Godfrey Poku (ACL) on the sidelines.

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