Liam Middleton came off injured in Kennington’s derby loss at Faversham and manager Dan Scorer revealed they’re fearing the worst.

Middleton hurt his knee shortly before the half-hour mark in their 2-1 Southern Counties East Premier Division defeat at Salters Lane on Tuesday following a challenge by home defender Matt Parsons.

The forward had only just returned from a separate knee problem and was rushed to hospital.

“It’s a suspected anterior cruciate ligament, which is not ideal,” said Scorer.

“He picked up a knee injury six or seven weeks ago, early on in the season, and has only just come back. This was his third or fourth game back.

“It looked a little bit innocuous, nothing much in it, just a shoulder.

“It’s got caught in the ground, strangely. He’s gone straight to the hospital. Hopefully, we’ll hear good news.

“If not, best wishes to Liam and I hope his recovery is a fast one.”

Early basement boys Ton were well in the game against promotion-chasing Faversham but, although midfielder Craig Calvert got them level after striker Warren Mfula’s opener, Stefan Payne got the match’s all-important third goal shortly after the restart.

With the contest goalless, young Town goalkeeper Lewis Briggs and Parsons were booked when, on another day, red cards could have been awarded while the away contingent also had appeals for a late penalty dismissed after a challenge by Briggs.

Scorer reflected: “We can certainly be proud of how we played.

“Defensively, we looked relatively assured. We have, unfortunately, conceded quite a few goals recently.

“But when you look at the quality they have in their attack, I thought we did superbly well to prevent them from really kicking on.

“Again, it’s fine margins. There’s one or two decisions that I felt didn’t go our way - and it’s a bit of a running theme at the moment, unfortunately.”

Ton, with just two points from their opening seven league fixtures, albeit they are yet to play at home due to groundwork at Ashford United’s Homelands, have a weekend off.

“It’s an odd one really,” noted Scorer. “We are showing that progress.

“After a performance like that, you do want to get straight back in and play again.

“A game like one against Sutton Athletic [scheduled opponents this weekend] who - with no disrespect - are a side like ourselves going through a transitional period.

“That might have been the game we’re needing at this moment in time. But it’s not.”

A stoppage-time winner consigned Kennington to a weekend 3-2 FA Vase Second Qualifying Round defeat away to division rivals Tunbridge Wells.

Midfielder Charlie Owen struck for Ton and skipper Tom Scorer made it 2-2 on 89 minutes, which looked to have set up a penalty shoot-out, only for attacker Festos Kamara to strike in the sixth minute of stoppages for the hosts.