Elliot Styles of Hornchurch protests against a decision (Gavin Ellis/TGS)

McFarlane reveals captain could return sooner

Hornchurch manager Jimmy McFarlane hopes to have Elliot Styles back before too long.

It was originally feared that captain Styles would miss the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone in the Essex Senior Cup win over Colchester.

But he could return to training in the next fortnight according to McFarlane, who takes his side to Conference South rivals Eastbourne tomorrow (Saturday).

He said: “We’ve had some better news as Elliot is going to the fracture clinic in two weeks time and is looking to get the go-ahead to start training without contact.

“Everyone else is fit, so I’ve got a full squad to pick from and we had a good session on Wednesday.

“We haven’t missed one session through all the bad weather and someone also said we’re the only team not to have a home game called off so far.

“It’s a big pitch at Eastbourne and a lovely surface and we do seem to do better away from home on better pitches.

“I want us to do things correctly and not make mistakes.”

Urchins have gone four matches without a win, after a 1-1 draw with Tonbridge at Bridge Avenue last weekend.

And McFarlane admitted he would like to see their points total improve soon, adding: “If we drew every game we would still be in with a shout of survival, but we need an extra couple of points.

“It would be nice to get to the last five or six games and not be worrying about having to win too many of them.”