Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell hopeful forward Kane Rowland will play through the pain barrier in play-off push ahead of match against Sevenoaks Town and derby at Hythe Town

Kane Rowland is expected to play through the pain barrier for Herne Bay.

Rowland came off on the 20-minute mark in play-off chasing Bay’s 2-2 draw at Merstham last weekend in Isthmian South East with a nose injury after coming together with a home defender.

But Bay boss Steve Lovell still expects to have the 10-goal striker available for this Saturday’s home match against Sevenoaks and their derby at Hythe on Tuesday night as it stands.

Lovell said: “Kane went off and I think he broke his nose.

“He had to come off after 20 minutes after a centre-half clattered him. But after speaking to him, I think he will be all right.

“They will sort it out and I don’t think he will be affected too much. I’m pretty sure Kane will not want to miss any games.

“I’m pretty sure he will be okay for Saturday. But we will see how he is at training this week. Apart from that, everybody is fine.”

Herne Bay recovered well from being two goals behind inside the first 10 minutes at Merstham to earn a point through forward Vance Bola’s second-half brace.

“It was very entertaining for the neutral - not so much for the managers, me at the beginning and theirs for the rest of the game,” Lovell reflected. “I thought we played really well.

“It’s the best we have played for a while - apart from conceding two goals on the counter-attack, which we have not really done this season.

“But I’m pleased with the way the players came back.

“In the end, we were unlucky not to win the game.”

Bola’s goals were his first for the club and Lovell noted: “He has been unlucky in the other two games he had played already.

“There’s been a couple of opportunities that just went past the post. But, on Saturday, he got two very good goals. He’s a quality player.

“It just