UNLUCKY Jamie Smith will be watching from the sidelines tomorrow (3pm) as Worcester City take on fellow Vanarama National League North strugglers AFC Telford United at Aggborough.

The teenager was carried off in the second half of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat of Boston United and will be cursing his luck on missing out after forcing his way into the starting line-up.

Not that this is anything new for the 18-year-old, who has left on a stretcher in each of his last two home games for the Blue and Whites with a head injury forcing him off in the FA Cup replay with Solihull Moors.

While joint City manager Carl Heeley is hoping for better injury news on some of his other players, he was disappointed to lose full-back or midfielder Smith.

“I’ve a great deal of sympathy for the lad,” he said. “He did really well against Boston and it’s so frustrating for him to miss out again having forced his way into the side.

“He’s not broken anything but the top of his foot is swollen and badly bruised just where it meets the ankle.

“I felt it was a reckless challenge and yet their player only got a yellow. It was the trailing leg that did the damage.

“I spoke to the referee after the game and he said he couldn’t make the decision because of the angle he saw it so I cannot blame him.

"But the assistant referee had the same view as me so I cannot understand why he thought it was just a booking.

“It’s frustrating at the moment because we’ve had red cards this season for things nowhere near as bad as that.”

City’s midweek win came without a number of first-choice players and Heeley is hoping to have a few of those available for tomorrow’s Telford game.

He said: “We’re hoping to have Wayne Thomas (centre-half) and Deon Burton (forward) back along with Nathan Vaughan (keeper).

“Sean Geddes (midfielder) has completed his suspension but we will have to have a look at Lee Hughes (forward) and Connor Gater (midfielder) to see if they’re ready.”

It’s likely to be too early for midfielder Dean Waldron, who was carried off in last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Stalybridge Celtic when Tristian Dunkley scored late on.

The visitors are likely to include a number of former City players in their side with defenders Darren Campion and Dwayne Samuels together with striker Ryan Rowe all part of the current squad.

Forward Danny Glover is also with the Bucks but hasn’t featured in the last few weeks.

Heeley added: “We were down to the bare bones on Tuesday so at least we will have a few more options this time.”

Teenagers Smith and forward Andre Brown, on loan from Crewe Alexandra, scored the goals against Boston.

City will hope for a better crowd after only 307 watched Tuesday's win with well-supported Telford only a short trip down the road from Kidderminster.