Mike Sandmann says Margate’s youngsters are having to learn rapidly as the club continues to wrestle with an injury crisis which shows no sign of abating.

The Gate assistant manager admits he can’t remember a time when quite so many players have been ruled out.

Ben Swift, Chris Sessegnon, and Kudus Oyenuga all have been sidelined with hamstring problems, and summer signing Michael Abnett is yet to start a league game this season.

A freak training accident left James Jeffrey needing an operation to repair a broken finger while Jody Robins (clash of knees) and Jack Richards (ongoing ankle issue) both came off during Saturday’s 2-1 Isthmian Premier win at Cheshunt which Dan Johnson ended nursing a black eye.

Sandmann said: “It’s been a really difficult time for us in the past few weeks, I’ve never known anything like it.

“It seems as if every training session and every game we’re picking up injuries. It’s got to the stage where we’re squinting every time two players go in for a challenge.

“Thursday was such a light session because we were so worried about injuries but we still ended up losing JJ who got hit by a ball and broke a finger.”

Substitute Kadell Daniel was the matchwinner at Cheshunt, netting a 65th minute equaliser before converting an injury-time penalty after Adem Ramadan had been fouled.

Afolabi Akinyemi had opened the scoring for Cheshunt who, minutes earlier, had seen a penalty saved by Gate keeper Joe Tupper.

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Sandmann said: “I think some of the younger players came of age on Saturday.

“We had to sort out a lot at half-time, but we could not have been more pleased with the reaction of the players.

“To get a result with such a young side, and people out of position was brilliant.”

The Blues have won three of their last four games and will be looking to progress in the FA Cup on Saturday when they host National South side Concord Rangers in the second qualifying round at Hartsdown.

Sandmann said: “It’s nice to have a little bit of pressure off, there’s not that expectation because they are in the league above but we’ll pick a side we think can get a result.”

Robins and Richards are both expected to be available while Oyenga could also return.

The Concord squad includes several former Gate players including Greg Cundle, Marcel Barrington and George Essuman.

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