Eastleigh can only pray that big Wayne Shaw stays fit and healthy after being rocked by news that fellow goalkeeper Lee Webber - AND reserve team understudy Gary Morris - have broken fingers.

Manager Paul Doswell had hoped to play Morris in tonight's Russell Cotes Cup final against Gosport Borough at the Sparshatts Stadium (7.45) to give Shaw a rest.

But then Morris rang to say he had fallen off his motorbike, making him the second Eastleigh keeper to break a finger inside three weeks after Webber's mishap against Windsor & Eton.

With Eastleigh on the brink of the Ryman Premier play-offs, it's a worrying time to be without cover for man mountain Shaw and Doswell joked: "We'd wrap Shawy in cotton wool, but Boots haven't got enough!"

On a serious note, Eastleigh have asked tonight's visitors Gosport whether their former keeper Colin Matthews would be available.

Doswell said: "The problem we have is that after March 31 you can't sign anyone on, so if Wayne was injured we'd have big problems. We've asked Gosport whether we could borrow Colin if the worst came to the worst and I'm sure Colin would do that for us because he and I parted on good terms.

"But it would be subject to a loan agreement and we're checking with the league whether they would give us dispensation to do that. We've not heard back from them yet."

Webber, who joined Eastleigh from Fareham Town after Matthews's November move to Gosport, has had his damaged finger pinned in three pieces and will be out of action for eight weeks.

Although the Russell Cotes isn't top of Doswell's priority list, the club themselves are mega-keen to win it having never lifted a cup in senior football.

Tonight's showdown marks the last head to head between Eastleigh chairman Roger Sherwood and his big mate Mick Marsh,who is bowing out as Gosport manager at the end of the season.

Marsh laughed: "No doubt there will be a wager between us and I'll end up paying whatever the result!

"The only time I've ever beaten Eastleigh was during my Pompey RN days when we won 2-0, but Roger didn't even pay up then. He blamed the fog that came in from The Solent!"