Kane Rowland is expected to play through the pain barrier for Herne Bay.

Rowland came off on the 20-minute mark in play-off chasing Bay’s 2-2 draw at Merstham last weekend in Isthmian South East with a nose injury after coming together with a home defender.

But Bay boss Steve Lovell still expects to have the 10-goal striker available for Saturday’s home match against Sevenoaks and their derby at Hythe on Tuesday as it stands.

Lovell said: “Kane went off and I think he broke his nose.

“He had to come off after 20 minutes after a centre-half clattered him. But after speaking to him, I think he will be all right.

“They will sort it out and I don’t think he will be affected too much. I’m pretty sure Kane will not want to miss any games.

“I’m pretty sure he will be okay for Saturday. But we will see how he is at training this week. Apart from that, everybody is fine.”

Herne Bay recovered well from being two goals behind inside the first 10 minutes at Merstham to earn a point through forward Vance Bola’s second-half brace.

“It was very entertaining for the neutral - not so much for the managers, me at the beginning and theirs for the rest of the game,” Lovell reflected. “I thought we played really well.

“It’s the best we have played for a while - apart from conceding two goals on the counter-attack, which we have not really done this season.

“But I’m pleased with the way the players came back.

“In the end, we were unlucky not to win the game.”

Bola’s goals were his first for the club and Lovell noted: “He has been unlucky in the other two games he had played already.

“There’s been a couple of opportunities that just went past the post. But, on Saturday, he got two very good goals. He’s a quality player.

“It just felt like we needed to get him more in the game in the second half. He’s an important player for us. When he got involved, he created things and scored two goals himself.

“Mike (Salako) had one cleared off the line and there was one that we felt was over the line but the linesman didn’t give it.”

Top scorer Michael Salako, with 22 goals this season, has gone more than a month without a goal.

Lovell said: “Mike has gone quiet the last few weeks. But we’re not just relying on him to get the goals.

“Mike and Kane, between them, they have got 30-odd goals. If we can have other people like Vance and some midfielders getting goals, that would be great.

“I’m sure Mike will get back on the goal-scoring trail again soon.”

Lovell is remaining level-headed with Bay still on the fringes of the play-offs in seventh with eight games left this term.

“We have just got to approach every game as it comes - I know it’s an old cliche, but we have to,” he stated. “Everybody is going to drop points.

“We just have to make sure that we keep going. Our home games are important.

“If we win our home games and pick up points away from home, as well, we will be in a decent position. We just need to take every game as it comes.

“If it means us going into the last couple of games (in the fight for a top-five finish) of the season, so be it.”

Both weekend visitors Sevenoaks and Hythe, in the midst of an extraordinary period of matches as they play catch-up, also will harbour hopes of making the play-off places.

Lovell has sympathy for Cannons manager Steve Watt’s situation, his team playing five matches in a 10-day period.

“It’s unfortunate for them,” he said. “They had a good run in the Trophy.

“When you get games called off, it’s hard. I sympathise with Steve.

“Having all those games is going to be hard for them. But they’re young players, very fit, and - while they might be tired – I’m sure that they will give it a go.

“All we can do is give them a tough game and try to take something against them. But first, we have Sevenoaks.

“If we perform like we have been, we will be fine. We’re playing well and perhaps not getting the results we deserve.

“If we keep performing, I’m sure the results will come again.”