Hythe defender Callum Emptage has suffered another potentially serious knee injury.

Emptage, the former Gillingham youngster, was stretchered off during the Cannons’ 3-2 win over South Park on Saturday.

He’s only recently returned from a long spell on the sidelines and Hythe boss Sam Denly admits early signs aren’t good for the 21-year-old.

Denly said: “It looks like he may have re-opened his knee, which is disappointing for him when he’s been out injured recently.

“I can sympathise with him, having done my knee and had three operations on that myself. I’m gutted for the lad.

“He got 90 minutes last week at Sheppey so we brought him back and he got a start but 10 minutes in, it looks like he may have done it again.

“I’ve told him to keep his head up. We don’t know the extent of the injury yet so we’ll wait until he’s gone to the hospital and see what the doctors say.

“All we can do is hope it’s not as serious as first thought and then go from there.”

With Emptage injured and Ben Wilson having joined Sevenoaks Town, Denly is in the market for new full-backs.

Dave Cook, Dean Grant and Will Thomas have also left the club since Clive Cook’s departure last week with Grant and Thomas now at Ashford United.

Denly said: “I’ve lost some players but the majority of them will stay.

“There might be a little bit more movement and some players may come in but all I can ask as a minimum is they give everything, which they did on Saturday.

“I thought we were superb. The work-rate was excellent and we got our rewards in the end. It was a good team performance.”

“I’ve said to the boys I want to keep everyone. They’re a fantastically talented group of players and if we can keep hold of the majority of them, there’s no reason we can’t finish the season strongly.”

Hythe, eighth in Bostik South, go to third-placed Carshalton on Saturday.

Denly said: “They’re a good side and we know it’s going to be a difficult game. They’ve only lost five games all season but we go there full of confidence.

“If we’re at it and we play as well as we can, there’s no reason we can’t go there and get something.”