Chatham assistant manager Lew Watts is set to make a rare appearance in Saturday's Ryman League Division 1 South home game with Eastbourne Town.

The defender, pictured, joined Chatham last summer when Alex O’Brien was appointed boss with the intention of concentrating on coaching. He has only made one starting appearance this season, but also came on as a substitute in the 1-0 win at Eastbourne in October.

O’Brien said: "Don’t be surprised if Lew ends up playing against Eastbourne again on Saturday."

With centre-half and captain Richard Avery likely to be ruled out for the next two games by a foot injury, O’Brien added: "When you lose someone of Richard’s experience you need a player like Lew to organise things."

Left-back Ashley Probets (foot) is also doubtful but Chatham’s biggest problem is in attack where their current lack of penetration was exposed in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Chipstead.

It was Chatham’s fourth reverse in five league games. O’Brien said: "The players’ self-belief is a little low at the moment but we have been trying to drum into them in training this week that they haven’t suddenly become a bad team."