BOURNEMOUTH boss Will Croker faces an anxious wait to find out if Dave Bates's knee injury is as serious as first feared.

Summer signing Bates sustained damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and medial cruciate ligament in last Saturday's win over Brixham.

The second-row could be out for up to six months and will learn his fate when he undergoes an MRI scan next week.

Croker told the Daily Echo: "It's a blow because not only is Dave a very good player but he's also an influential voice in the changing room.

"We will just have to wait and see what the outcome of the MRI is."

Duncan Soden, injured in the same game, is expected to spend a month out with a dislocated collarbone.

Full-back Alex Sutherland also looks set for a month on the sidelines having sustained facial injuries against Bracknell.

Bournemouth are due to make the trip to Lydney in National Three South West tomorrow (3pm).

Lydney are fourth in the table having earned two wins from their opening three games. They were narrowly beaten at Old Redcliffians last time out.

Lions: Spikings, Manning, Tarrant, Levey, Kenneally, Hennings, MacDonald, Rees, Hardcastle, Davies, Roberts, Chislett, Hancox, Everett-Bolter, Veneroso. Replacements: Yates, Treloar, Jeffes.