KEY Chatham Town midfielders Steve Best and Steve Searle are out of Saturday's away to Southern League Division 1 East leaders Boreham Wood.

Best is recovering from surgery while Searle is nursing an ankle injury. The losses are a huge blow to third-placed Chats, who are looking to make up ground on a side seven points ahead of them.

Manager Steve Binks said: "They are big players for us and we will certainly miss them. Having said that their absence allows a number of fringe players to stake their claim."

Andy Garrett will fill one of the central midfield vacancies left by Best and Searle. Until now he has been used out of position on the left.

And Binks confirmed that Brendan Cass is still the club's penalty taker, despite missing a crucial spot kick against Sittingbourne in the FA Trophy.

Sittingbourne will be hoping to build on that impressive win against Chatham last weekend when they host Uxbridge.

The Brickies have failed to win in the league since September 24.

Dartford, bouyed by their FA Trophy success against Dover Athletic on Tuesday night, travel to Rothwell Town.