Ashford manager Tommy Warrilow has learned from experience not to write off an injured player.

Full-back Tariq Ossai was crocked by a poor challenge just 15 seconds into the Nuts & Bolts’ 1-0 defeat at Isthmian South East promotion rivals Cray Valley on Saturday.

He was stretchered off and taken to hospital by ambulance, with scans showing ligament damage in his collarbone.

Warrilow is reluctant to put a timescale on his return having seen goalkeeper Jordan Carey’s campaign initially written off after he suffered a triple fracture in his elbow against Chatham in August.

“After what happened with Jordan Carey, I’m holding fire,” said the Ashford boss.

“With Jordan, it was season done, it was this, that and the other, but it turned out it wasn’t, it was a couple of months.

"It was nowhere near as bad as we first thought, so I’m hoping Tariq won’t be out too long.”

Warrilow was unhappy with the challenge on his defender, which went unpunished.

He added: “He’s run up the line, gone by his man and been taken out. The challenge went unpunished, which surprised everyone considering the amount of cards the referee showed.

“I thought it would have been at least a yellow but nothing.

“We got a few bookings and it’s that inconsistency that’s frustrating but it is what it is.

“If the yellow is shown in the first minute the player is walking on eggshells for 89 minutes and it can change the pattern of the game, but that’s not the reason we lost.”

Ashford travelled to the league leaders on the back of a three-match winning streak.

There was little between the sides, with Denzel Gayle’s goal in first-half injury time settling the match.

“It’s fine margins, which is what we’ve been talking about all season,” said Warrilow, whose side are third.

“To be honest, a draw might have been a fair result.

“Looking at the highlights, they show quite a lot of us going forward, we had throws and set-pieces and again not been able to capitalise on them.

“Cray Valley are a good team and they’ve been beating teams by four and six. It’s a little 1-0 but we’ve got to take it on the chin and accept it. On the day, we weren’t good enough to score a goal.

“We weren’t out of the game or played off the park, it was a bit of a scrappy game but fair play to them, they came away with three points.”

Next up for Ashford is a Kent derby at home to Hythe this Saturday.

The Cannons have strengthened their squad with the arrival of goalkeeper Henry Newcombe, midfielder Bradley Schafer and forward Tyler Sterling, and won 2-1 at Faversham on Tuesday.

They also have plenty of experience to call on, including striker Frannie Collin, Warrilow’s old player at Tonbridge.

“Frannie was a brilliant player for me,” said Warrilow.

“Him, Danny Walder and Lee Browning, the three I brought in from Dover, played a big part in taking Tonbridge to Conference South and staying there for three years.

“He’s an experienced player now and he’s still got that quality in his right foot at set-pieces and everything else.

“Watty’s (manager Steve Watt) got a fantastic set of players over there - they can beat anyone.

“I know he’s had a few injuries, and that can make a difference, but they’ve got an abundance of quality, they’re a good club and I’ve got a little bit of history there.

“Hopefully it’s a nice fresh day and we can get a big crowd in.”

Ashford will check on the fitness of striker Jay May, who’s missed the last three games through injury.

There will be a collection at the game for Ashford schoolboy Oliver Ross, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year. His family are raising funds for specialist treatment abroad.

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