Rooks' Trophy bid hit as injury list mounts for King

King, who is himself in agony after breaking two ribs in a Vets game at the weekend, will definitely be missing Kirk Watts, Amos Foyewa, Gavin Holligan and Paul Kennett, while there are question marks over Paul Wilkerson, Dean Hooper, Mo Harkin, Djoumin Sangare and Max Hustwick.

Watts, who is likely to be out for three to four weeks, Kennett and Hooper all have ankle problems, Foyewa is out for two to three weeks with hamstring trouble, Holligan has a back problem, Harkin damaged a calf muscle and Wilkerson has a thigh strain.

Karl Beckford and Morgaro Gomes are waiting in the wings, but the injuries threaten the Rooks's progress in an important competition and the width across the pitch with which the club has had most of its success over the past two seasons.

King said: 'We're struggling at the moment and I'd love to get in a couple of players short term to tide me over for two to three weeks but finances dictate these situations.'

Certainly it's a tricky dilemma for the club with tomorrow's game worth 3,000 to the winner and increasing rewards for progress through future rounds, a case when a small investment might reap a rich return.

Lewes public relations director Marina Arnold said: 'Lewes does actually operate with probably one of the smallest playing budgets in the Conference South.

'Steve King maximises this through his good contacts and his ability to persuade high-calibre players to come to the club for sometimes less than they would normally accept. His enthusiasm is infectious and that certainly benefits the club.

'At the moment, however, we have a number of key players out with injury which restricts Steve's options as the playing budget is fully committed.

'It is very much accepted now for supporters groups to contribute towards players' salaries and if our fans are willing to offer financial assistance then that, like all the other efforts they make for the club, is gratefully accepted by both the coaching staff and the board.'

At least King will have some width down the right with Owen Price bombing in the crosses. Formerly with Tottenham, the 19-year-old clearly lacked confidence in his early appearances for the Rooks but is now showing the quality King always knew he had.

King said: 'The crowd is on his side now and he's made the shirt his own. We won't be able to keep him now he's got his confidence back.

'The strikers love him because he sends in so many great first-time balls. They can make their runs knowing he'll put the ball on the spot for them.

'Welling paid him the compliment of double-marking him on Saturday and their manager said he was 'different class' after the game.

'He did the same when we lost a friendly at Canvey Island the previous week, I'm told he put in 20 crosses in that game.

'I think we deserved something in the 2-1 defeat at Welling, they were better than us in the first half but we battered them after the break.'

The Rooks drew 2-2 in the teeming rain at Dorchester earlier this month when Dean Brennan scored both Lewes goals.

The Magpies are recovering from something of an injury crisis themselves but will be no pushovers having the best away record in the Conference South with six wins from eight outings so far.