WIMBORNE manager Matty Holmes admitted he was sweating on the fitness of Jack Lovell after the forward was forced off with a knee injury during Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Beaconsfield.

The Magpies ace sustained the problem after 34 minutes at KoolPak Stadium and could miss this week’s league and cup double header against high-flying Weymouth.

Lovell was replaced by Curtis Young as Holmes’s men went on to suffer their fifth loss in seven Southern League South games.

Asked for an update on the injury issue, the Wimborne boss told the Daily Echo: “We are not too sure as to the extent yet.

“We thought it may have been a stretcher job but, as it went on, Ben (Hayes, physio) got him up and after the game he was walking around.

“We have to assess him. He won’t be involved in the cup on Tuesday but there is a slim chance he could play on Saturday.

“Jack is a huge player for us. He has been playing a little more out wide since Toby (Holmes) has come back but we can get him up front as well if we need to.

“It was his type of game on Saturday and we lost him during the first half. I’m not saying one player makes a huge difference but if he had carried on in that game, things may have been a little different.

“He will be a big miss but we just have to reassess and see how he is.”

Both Lovell and Toby Holmes had opportunities to break the deadlock during the first half against Beaconsfield but failed to find the net.

And the Rams made Magpies pay with the decisive goal five minutes into the second half.

After Wimborne had given away a free-kick out wide, Adam Daly crossed for Jordan Ajanlekoko to nod home unchallenged.

Holmes added: “It was disappointing. I just feel an opportunity to get some points on the board were dropped.

“We started really well and played some really good football. We had a couple of good chances.

“They changed their formation after 20 minutes because we were really causing trouble through the midfield.

“It was just a really flat and disappointing performance in the second half.

“We didn’t really test their keeper enough. We looked isolated with Toby up front and that’s why I brought him off.

“These teams find another gear because they had a poor first half. They came out possibly wanting it a bit more.”

Defeat leaves Wimborne second from bottom in the table with only one win and four points to their name.

Only bottom club Chesham, who Magpies drew 1-1 with earlier in the campaign, have fewer points than the Dorset club.

Magpies: Benfield, Lee, Maybury, Francis, Oldring, Davidson, Stokoe (Kellaway, 64), L Holmes, T Holmes (Arnold, 80), Burbidge, Lovell. Unused subs: Collins, Owen.