TOM Killick has been hit by another injury blow ahead of Poole Town's “huge” festive fixtures in National South.

The Dolphins boss had been keen to recall striker Tony Lee from his loan spell at AFC Totton ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bognor Regis.

But in what may prove Lee’s final appearance for the Southern League West Stags, he injured his leg in a nasty challenge during the 6-0 win over Bishop’s Cleeve.

The former Eastleigh and Dorchester Town frontman is tomorrow set to receive a full diagnosis on the problem, with a fracture not being ruled out.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “There were discussions going on about whether Totton wanted to keep him or whether he would come back.

“The landscape changed because he suffered an injury which, potentially, could be relatively serious.

“He is in a protective boot and is going to see a specialist.”

Killick’s frontline options are already stretched with Marvin Brooks and Richard Gillespie suspended.

Should Lee’s injury be serious, he would join the likes of Poole’s Luke Roberts, Michael Walker and Jake Smeeton as long-term absentees.

“We would have looked to have had him back with us,” added Killick. “Certainly for the next two games it would have been good to have him back.

“Even if it’s severe bruising rather than a fracture, you would be looking at three or four weeks.

“You are almost getting to the point where nothing surprises you any more. It seems to be the way things have gone.

“On top of all the other long-term absentees, it has been a difficult one.”

Dolphins are 20th in the league, three points ahead of Bognor. Killick's men entertain Truro City on Boxing Day and make the trip to Treyew Road on New Year’s Day.

The boss added: “It’s a huge Christmas period for us with this game and then being home and away against Truro.

“In these three games we need a reasonable points return to keep ourselves going in the direction we want to go.

“They are all vital games in the position we are in but, when you play one of your rivals in the lower reaches, it always adds significance. It becomes dog eat dog.

“I have looked at the table already and you go up to a certain place in the league where you tend to think it would be very surprising if anyone above that point got dragged into it.

“We have to do as well as we can in a mini-league and avoid being in the bottom three. That is the be all and end all – getting three teams to finish with fewer points than us.”

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Harfield, Moore, Spetch, Whisken, Pettefer, Dickson, Devlin, Bentley, Gyebi, Bedford, Balmer, Neale, Leslie-Smith, Rees, Simpson.