WIMBORNE Town manager Steve Cuss faces an anxious wait over the fitness of "the best goalkeeper in the league" following Jason Harvell's withdrawal against Stratford.

The custodian battled in vain to carry on having suffered suspected knee ligament damage but broke down while trying to clear the through ball from which Kevin Charley scored the visitors' winner as Magpies went down 2-1 at windswept Cuthbury.

Cuss told the Daily Echo: "Jason took a knock while challenging for a corner and looks like he might have some sort of knee ligament damage.

"We are getting it assessed at the moment but I don't think he will be playing on Tuesday. His knee is quite swollen at the moment but we are hoping it is just a touch of damage and nothing more than that.

"He did not come straight off but it soon became obvious he could not carry on. It's a concern because he is the best goalkeeper in the league and to lose him for any length of time is a blow."

Loyiso Recci put the visitors in front after seven minutes but new striker Luke Stone levelled matters with his third goal in four Southern League starts in first-half injury time.

On the match, Cuss added: "I was delighted with the lads. The performance was excellent against a side that will almost certainly be in the play-offs.

"We played as well as we had the previous week without quite getting the result. It was a difficult afternoon with the wind which we had to defend in the first half.

"The equaliser on half-time put us in control and we dominated the second half in terms of territory and possession without really creating enough to test the goalkeeper.

"We got the ball into some really dangerous areas but Stratford defended well and had enough quality to not only weather the storm but go on and win it. That is why they are near the top of the league."

Magpies: Harvell (Roast, 88), Arnold, Maybury, Oliver, Biles, Clarke, Griffin (Davidson, 85), Stone (Kemble, 85), Holmes, Gamble, Stokoe. Unused subs: Blake, Lupton.