Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin sees Joe Ellul suffer suspected fractured cheekbone in 3-1 defeat at Boreham Wood

Joe Ellul suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone as Maidstone’s wretched luck with injuries continued at Boreham Wood.

Defender Ellul took a whack in the face midway through the first half of the Stones’ 3-1 defeat.

He attempted to play on after treatment to a nasty-looking cut but had to be replaced minutes later.

Already it seems unlikely he’ll be involved at Barnet on Tuesday night.

“He got a kick in the face, he’s got a big lump, his cheekbone might be fractured,” said boss Hakan Hayrettin.

Jack Barham was ruled out on Friday after suffering a knock in training, while new loan signing Dylan Barkers only played at the last minute after coming through a fitness test.

“He was limping near the end - I had to take him off,” said Hayrettin, who signed Barkers from League 1 Cheltenham on Friday.

“He wasn’t fully fit but I had no choice but to play him. It was a touch and go.

“I know his agent really well, DJ Campbell, and we’ve had had him watched.

“We thought we needed that little bit of security in front of the back four and we got that.

“We think he did OK, it was balls from out wide which hurt us today.

“It seems we can’t stop the ball coming into the box and we’re getting punished.”

That was exactly what happened as Maidstone, despite taking the leading through Roarie Deacon, left Meadow Park empty-handed and slipped to 18th in National League.

Substitute George Williams levelled direct from a cross minutes later and George Broadbent and Lee Ndlovu met second-half crosses for high-flying Wood.

Deacon received a second yellow card in added time - Hayrettin had no complaints - and will serve a one-game ban at Barnet.

“We went 1-0 up, we shouldn’t have conceded in the manner we did,” said Hayrettin.

“Second half, to