Dartford may dip into the transfer market following the news that injured defender Callum McNaughton is out for six weeks.

McNaughton has fractured a metatarsal bone in his foot and is set to miss nine of Darts’ last 11 league games.

The former West Ham player has developed into one of Dartford’s key men this season and manager Tony Burman knows he’ll be a big miss.

He said: "We run with a small squad, and to be fair to Callum he’s only missed one game this season.

"He was complaining of a foot injury before kick-off last Saturday but he felt he was going to be OK. It just got worse.

"We’re not sure if he’s done it in training or at Hayes & Yeading (last Tuesday) but unfortunately it was bad news for us and he’s going to be out for six weeks.

"Tom Wynter could go in there, Tom Gardiner can go in there and the other option is if I want to bring someone in. Lee Burns may be fit enough in the next two weeks."

McNaughton, who joined the club last summer, made a shaky start to his Dartford career but has improved significantly over the last few months.

Burman said: "We’re trying to coach him what we think are the right things at the level he’s playing at.

"When he’s put those coaching points into practice, that’s when I think he’s looked better.

"Centre-halves have to make decisions. They’re there to win headers and clear balls.

"I know the modern-day thing is that they’ve all got to pass out from the back but we’re playing in National League South.

"A lot of these Premier League players don’t have to play on the pitches we have to play on and sometimes that’s not the right thing to do.

"He has to get into the level he’s at and adapt to it. He’s tried his best to do that."

Darts’ defensive concerns deepened on Tuesday when left-back Mark Onyemah had to come off at half-time in their 2-1 Kent Senior Cup semi-final win against Greenwich.

Burman said: "Mark’s struggling a little bit at the moment. He’s got a shoulder injury so we took him off as a precaution.

"This is what happens when you’ve got lots of games being played.

"You have to be adaptable and have players who can play in different positions.

"Danny Harris comes into that category and Kaka Dembele did ever so well when he went to left-back.

"We are short on people at the moment and we’ll have to see what happens for Saturday’s game."