Injury agony for Hughes
By Wendy Gee - 
EASTLEIGH’S last big summer signing Mark Hughes is almost certain to miss the start of the Blue Square Bet South campaign at Boreham Wood tomorrow week.
The former Barnet skipper has his foot in plaster after falling victim to a bad challenge in Tuesday’s 2-0 friendly win over Oxford United.
The fear is that the 28-year-old Northern Ireland international midfielder has either broken a toe or a metatarsal bone.
But nothing will be known for sure until he has another X-ray next week.
“Due to the swelling, we don’t know if it’s a metatarsal or toe,” said manager Ian Baird. “Either way, it wouldn’t be good news.
“He’s got a temporary plaster on at the moment and they’re going to re-X-ray it on Tuesday.
“Mark was obviously a big signing for us, so it’s extremely disapointing to lose him as a result of a bad tackle. I think it was deliberate because the player left his foot on him, but these things happen in football.”
The former Barnet skipper has his foot in plaster after falling victim to a bad challenge in Tuesday’s 2-0 friendly win over Oxford United.
The fear is that the 28-year-old Northern Ireland international midfielder has either broken a toe or a metatarsal bone.
But nothing will be known for sure until he has another X-ray next week.
“Due to the swelling, we don’t know if it’s a metatarsal or toe,” said manager Ian Baird. “Either way, it wouldn’t be good news.
“He’s got a temporary plaster on at the moment and they’re going to re-X-ray it on Tuesday.
“Mark was obviously a big signing for us, so it’s extremely disapointing to lose him as a result of a bad tackle. I think it was deliberate because the player left his foot on him, but these things happen in football.”
The good news is that left-back Adam Everitt's bad arm is heavily bruised rather than broken, but he is highly unlikely to feature in the Spitfires' final friendly at home to a Reading XI tomorrow (3pm).
Centre-back Gary Elphick is definitely out with bruised or cracked ribs, but fellow defender Osei Sankofa was due to resume training last night having missed the whole of pre-season after slipping off a kerb while out running.
Reading have a first-team friendly against Crystal Palace tomorrow as they prepare for their return to the Premier League, so are likely to take a development squad to the Silverlake.
One player who won't feature for the Royals is ex-Eastleigh striker Brett Williams who has joined Blue Square Bet Premier new boys Woking on a long-term loan.
The 24-year-old from Hedge End was sold by the Spitfires to Reading for £50,000 in January 2011, but has yet to feature for Brian McDermott's side.
He spent the first part of last season on loan at Rotherham United, scoring his first League goal against Crawley, and then saw out the 2011/12 campaign at Northampton Town.
He joined Scottish club St Johnstone on a week's trial last month with a view to a loan move, but will instead be playing closer to home with promoted BSB South champions Woking.
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