Manager James Collins has been dealt a major blow with Faversham skipper Harry Harding sidelined for several months.

The striker has not featured for the Lilywhites since their 4-1 loss at VCD on October 16 after he picked up a knee injury.

Collins said: “He has got a tear which is, obviously, not good.

"He is going to be out for a while.

“I think we are looking at a minimum of three months but we are hoping he will be back quicker than that.”

Town’s injury list has grown significantly recently, although there is better news for the club’s other sidelined troops.

Lewis Chambers (ankle), and Donvieve Jones and D’Jean Spencer (both hamstring) are not thought to be long-term absentees while long-serving defender Matt Bourne’s foot isn’t broken.

“I think they are all a little bit closer than we thought,” Collins admitted.

“But we have got to be careful because we don’t want them out any longer than they need to be.”

Collins, though, was not prepared to use his injury list as an excuse for their 2-1 Isthmian South East loss against Hythe on Tuesday night.

He said: “We were not the races. I was really disappointed with the performance.

“We have a crippling injury list at the moment - we had six out - but I was not happy with the performance and the players that came in. I expected better from the players I put out.

“I think only two or three players had good games.

"I thought we got out muscled, out thought and out played. But I don’t want to be too hard on them.

“Before Tuesday, we were on a run of one defeat in six. We just didn’t perform.”

The Lilywhites, in 14th, were 2-0 down at Salters Lane before Mobolaji Dawodu gave them late hope with his first goal since re-joining the club.

Faversham’s defeat came after they had beaten Isthmian Premier Leatherhead 2-1 in the FA Trophy at the weekend to set up a trip to Folkestone next Saturday.

On Dawodu’s performances, Collins said: “To be fair, he was brilliant on Saturday and he was one of the stand-out players again on Tuesday.

“He played centre midfield but we put him up top for the last 15 minutes and he got a goal which I’m pleased about.”

Collins, who hopes to bolster his squad before their home match against second-placed Haywards Heath this Saturday, gave a debut to Charlie Dickens.

On Dickens’ first Faversham performance, he said: “He only signed on Tuesday afternoon. He did all right.

“I’m sure he will get better for us as well once he learns a bit more about how we play.”

Ex-Faversham assistant Steve O’Boyle has been appointed the new manager of basement boys Phoenix Sports this week.

Town visit Burgess Hill next Tuesday.

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