Sheppey United are hoping to see some key players returning from injury soon as the chase for fifth place hots up.
The Ites are one of several sides chasing the final play-off spot in the Isthmian South East table.
A 2-1 weekend win over Lancing was followed by a 2-1 midweek defeat at AFC Croydon Athletic, who scored late on.
Assistant boss Geoff Record has previously praised the team for keeping them in the hunt despite the injury problems.
He’s excited to hear that striker Dan Carr is nearing a return and captain Danny Leonard isn’t far away too.
Record said: “We are playing it week to week with Danny (Leonard) but we are hoping that now he’s had a diagnosis and treatment geared up around it, that maybe it will be a couple of weeks.
“Jacob Lambert has a medial knee ligament injury and so it might be a bt longer for him but I did hear that Dan Carr is now considering returning to training and that will be good, if that’s possible.
“Dan’s a very good player, not just his finishing, but a very good footballer. Missing these players will hurt any team. If we can get Dan Carr back, that would be great.
“I am sure he will want to test the injury in training first, same with all three, they will want some sessions to make sure they are confident it will be alright.”
Summer signing Carr picked up a knee injury in September after just eight appearances, scoring four goals in that period.
Leonard was injured in early December and tried to make a comeback in the new year, making his 150th appearance for the club against Hythe Town as a substitute, but suffered a set-back.
In an update on his progress, he told the club: “I played 20 minutes on New Year’s Day and woke up with pain in my groin/hip area and it was something I hadn’t felt before. It didn’t subside.
“The scans showed I had bursitis in my hip.”
With a course of treatment to deal with the inflammation he hopes to be back soon.
Isthmian South East table
Sheppey have bolstered their ranks with young players from their under-23 set-up, lowering the average age to about 22.
Alfie Cragg was the latest to make his debut on Saturday in the win over Lancing. Fellow youngster Ethan Cole, who plays in defence, was in the matchday squad again after a handful of appearances for the 16-year-old.
Jack Marsh, Sam Itauma, David Johnson and Bailey Catherick – on a dual registration with Sheppey Sports – have been among those helping keep the play-off challenge alive.
On newcomer Cragg, Record said: “He has got a very quick change of pace over four to six yards and when he came on he got on the ball and executed that as well.
“Ethan’s been around it for four or five games. I can’t speak highly enough of his attitude, it’s absolutely brilliant, whether that’s in training or if he gets two minutes. He is enthusiastic, he wants to do well, he is a good listener, let’s see how things develop for him. That attitude will stand him in good stead.
“Jack’s been at the club for a while and he is at the stage now where if he really wants to push his football on I think he can have the opportunity to do it, but you need to follow up those performance like the one on Saturday when he came on as a sub.”
Sheppey are away to Littlehampton Town on Saturday.
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