Herne Bay player-manager Liam Friend mulling over options as he ponders strengthening threadbare squad ahead of Isthmian South East trip to AFC Croydon Athletic

Liam Friend is weighing up his options as he considers strengthening Herne Bay’s threadbare squad.

Bay were without the suspended Joe Alatise for their 4-1 Isthmian South East defeat against frontrunners Three Bridges on Saturday while fellow defender Louie Procopi, red-carded in a 2-0 victory at VCD last midweek, will start a three-game ban.

While player-manager Friend concedes his resources are down to the bare bones, he’s reluctant to simply bring in more bodies.

“The squad is thin,” admitted Friend. “We were one or two short, anyway, and we have got one or two injuries and two suspensions thrown into that.

“All of a sudden, you’re six down and there’s not a great deal of options.

“At the same time - other than Rogo (James Rogers), who came in on Saturday - pretty much everyone has started in our last five games.

“Maybe, that caught up with them a little bit but I’m not thinking I’m the only manager with injuries and things like that.

"It’s important to get the right people in.

“There might be some short-term pain with it but it’s about signing the right players and the right characters for the right reasons, rather than signing players just for the sake of it.”

Bay were 3-0 down inside 15 minutes to Three Bridges and, although midfielder Harvey Brand got one back before half-time, that was a mere consolation at Winch’s Field.

“I’m really disappointed with our first 20-minute performance,” reflected Friend, who brought on under-23s forward Max Woodfine for a late substitute appearance.

“We were a bit disappointed with the lack of execution of our game-plan. The goals were just things they were good at.

“The Three Bridges winger (Reece Hallard), if you get too close to him, he will roll you and he has a good shot on