‘We need to get to the bottom of it’ – Moneyfields playmaker James Franklyn set for extended injury absence

Attacking midfielder James Franklyn could only manage a nine-minute sub outing at Christchurch on Tuesday due to another recurrence of a groin injury.

Only introduced as a 79th minute sub, Franklyn was forced off before the final whistle.

It is the same injury that saw him miss the final couple of months of last season, and which he has been playing through - via a series of injections - this term.

Franklyn has made seven starts for Moneys this term, but has only completed two 90 minutes, scoring twice.

‘We need to get to the bottom of it,’ said manager Glenn Turnbull. ‘We’ll see if we can get another scan done.

‘We have to do what’s right for Franko as well.

‘It’s gutting as he’s one of our best players but he’s got a life, he’s got a job - you don’t want that to be a detriment just by kicking a bag of air around.

‘I don’t envisage Franko being around for a while.

‘I just hope it’s not the same scenario as we’ve had with Elliott.’

That’s a reference to Turnbull’s son, who is unlikely to play this season due to a groin problem. A planned December consultation has recently been pushed back to March.

It was with Franklyn’s injury in mind that Turnbull recently signed ex-Pompey pro Charlie Bell.

Handed his debut as a sub at US Portsmouth last weekend, Bell started the 1-1 Wessex Premier draw at Christchurch.

Defender Jack Lee fired Moneys into a 59th minute lead, with Priory levelling through a screaming 20-yarder in the dying seconds.

‘I thought Charlie did well,’ said Turnbull. ‘He was a bit disappointed he didn’t score, but I told him the main aspiration is to get fit and you can only do that by playing matches.

‘It’s a good sign if Charlie thought that was a B minus game from him.’

The point at Christchurch followed league wins at Pagham and US, with Turnbull admitting: ‘The lads were really gutted, saying it was two points dropped.

‘There’s a view we should be beating Christchurch, but then look at wonder result US had at Shaftesbury.

‘We’ve played eight away games, won four, drew one and lost three. If you go through an entire season winning half your away games you’d be happy.’

Moneys are quickly back in action, travelling to Alresford for a rare Friday evening fixture.

There is likely to be just the one squad change - with striker Steve Hutchings, absent through work commitments at Christchurch, coming in for Franklyn.