INJURY-PLAGUED Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell reckons you can forget all about the theory that the old Ryman League was less physical than the Dr Martens.
Two bruising home matches in four days against London clubs Hampton & Richmond and Harrow Borough have had the physio working overtime at the Sparshatts Stadium.
Having lost Christer Warren and Ryan Ashford in the heat of a physical 3-3 midweek draw against Hampton, Eastleigh sustained more damage on Saturday -- this time to new midfield signing Danny Smith.
The former Winchester City skipper needed stitches around his eye and nose after being elbowed in the face amid a disappointing 1-1 result against Harrow.
Doswell, already without defender Chris Collins (infected ankle) and striker Andy Forbes (calf cramp), suffered yet another setback on Saturday morning when skipper Rob Marshall withdrew with flu. Ex-Saints midfielder David Hughes was complaining of a ricked neck, but had no choice but to play.
Eastleigh were undone early as Danny McGonigle fired Harrow into a ninth-minute lead.
But, once again, it was Paul Sales - two-goal hero of the Hampton fightback - who pulled them out of the mire with a looping header over the keeper on 75 minutes.
Doswell reflected: "I didn't rate Hampton and Harrow wouldn't even be a top-six Wessex side, so it's disappointing to have drawn both games.
"I don't like not getting three points against poor sides and, as our chairman Roger Sherwood said, we had enough chances on Saturday to have won two games, let alone one."
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