Sittingbourne newcomer Gabriel Piorkowski may not be around for long - if he can get back to his best after missing a year out injured.

Piorkowski broke down in training while playing under Brickies boss Ryan Maxwell at former club Braintree, and it’s been a long road back having spent nine months waiting for an operation on his knee.

The combative midfielder picked up that injury shortly after a fine goal from distance against Dartford on his National South debut. Maxwell is now hoping to see the best of him again at Bourne.

“He had a real bad time with injury after starting like a house on fire,” said Maxwell.

“He had three fantastic games, scoring on his league debut against Dartford with a great goal. He’s so energetic, so combative, fearless in possession and although not the biggest he is incredibly strong in the air for a smaller man.

“He is a great character, tough as nails, but also scores a goal. He loves the competitive part of the game, his attitude is tremendous and I am not surprised he has come back. He had to wait nine months. He is a loveable rogue and he is infectious.

“He has already been flying in at training. When you receive the ball you have to keep your touch tight because Gaby will look to win it off you.

“He is fitting in really quickly and I am looking forward to getting him out there and showing what he can do.

“Hopefully he can get back to the level he was at.

“He is a player we will not be holding back. If he can reach the levels he is capable of, sooner rather than later, hopefully, then no doubt he will attract the attention of other clubs higher up the pyramid.”

Maxwell has also added striker Chris Harris to the squad, fresh from being part of the Bishop’s Stortford side which won the Isthmian Premier last season. Harris spent time at National South Cheshunt midway through his parent side’s title-winning campaign and returned to help them to promotion.

His arrival at Woodstock was welcomed by Maxwell, having spent plenty of time on a deal for the big man.

“He is a player I had been speaking to for nearly a month,” he said.

“We had to work hard to get him, in terms of working out logistics, because he is not just around the corner. We managed to get it over the line and I am delighted to get him in, fresh on the back of a promotion with Bishop’s Stortford.

“He is a player who can do a number of things, he has previous in scoring but he is also a good targetman, [a] strong and physical type player, with a fantastic attitude, great characteristics.

“It was very important to get him in and I tried very hard.

“It is so difficult to get the right man to come for the right reasons and rather than just signing one for the sake of it, we waited and targeted Chris. He has played with a few people that I know very well. I know the manager at Bishop’s Stortford very well and everyone said the same thing. It is not a risk, I know what I am getting. I see this signing as a huge one for us.”

Maxwell hasn’t ruled out more signings before the season starts and could add another before taking on Chatham away in Brickies’ first friendly of the summer on Tuesday.

Maxwell said: “Chatham are settled, they have momentum, it is at their place and we are expecting a really tough game.

“I haven’t chosen any easy games (in pre-season), we have some really tough matches.

“I said to the players these are all measurements to see where you are at. If you want to get further in the game these are the teams you hope to play for at some point if we haven’t caught them.

“There are no easy games but my motto is train hard and fight easy.”