Witney Town skipper Gary Murphy faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a hernia, writes Russell Smith.

Murphy, who misses tomorrow's Eastern Division game at Erith & Belvedere with a one-match ban, is due to have the operation on Wednesday.

It could hardly have come at a worse time for manager Brian Hughes, with centre back Darren McCluskey also awaiting an operation for his knee injury and young striker Matt Pratley going to the United States for three weeks.

Hughes's playing resources are being severely tested, and with a possible takeover of the lease to run the club by a Reading-based company still up in the air, he admits he has little room to manoeuvre.

"We just want it sorted out because we don't know whether to move sideways, forwards of whatever," he said.

Banbury United have signed goalkeeper Simon Tricker from Abingdon United, and he is set to make his debut at second-bottom Wisbech Town in the Eastern Division tomorrow.

Tricker takes over from Paul Beauchamp, who has been helping Banbury out since John Skeen left the club.

Player-manager Kevin Brock said of his new recruit: "I have heard a lot of good reports about him and I think he will do well for us."

Former Oxford United midfielder Les Phillips faces a fitness test on his troublesome back injury and striker Frankie Dorrian is battling to shrug off the flu.