HADLEIGH United have recalled goalkeeper Dan Heath from Leiston as injuries mount up ahead of their FA Vase quarter-final tie.

The Brettsiders’ boss Stuart Crawford let Heath join Ryman League Premier Division Leiston on a two-month loan deal with Darren Moyes taking over as first-choice keeper.

But Moyes injured his shoulder in valiantly trying to save an injury-time penalty in the 1-0 Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division defeat at home to Brantham Athletic ten days ago.

Young Charlie de Lara-Bell played in goal in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Ely City and was also between the posts in Tuesday’s 4-1 win at FC Clacton.

Crawford said: “Charlie, to be fair, has done reasonably well, but with the FA Vase and the run-in to the end of the season we would be foolish not to call Dan back from Leiston.

“I didn’t want to recall him because he was enjoying it there and wanted to play as much as he could.

“But Darren injured his left shoulder trying to save the penalty against Brantham, which is ironic as he injured his other shoulder saving a penalty at Brantham earlier in the season!

“We don’t know how long he will out for, but it is the third time he has damaged a shoulder this season.

“Something is happening to his shoulder when he is diving at full stretch and the physios are not sure what it is.”

Moyes joined a list of absentees through injury and unavailability for the match at FC Clacton equivalent to a whole team.

“I have never known a season like it for injuries and unavailability,” said Crawford.

In addition to Moyes, defender Kris Rose is a long-term absentee following a knee operation and midfielder Mark Maher is currently abroad and not due to return until a fortnight before the end of the season.

Right back Oliver Brown has a thigh injury and central defender Mark Gaisford was stuck in London while Matt Stace, starting just his second game in Brown’s absence since signing, picked up a hamstring injury and was substituted.

Midfielder Neil Calver is currently unavailable after his partner gave birth prematurely while winger Scott Chaplin aggravated his hamstring after coming on against Brantham and has not played since.

Utility players James Evans (knee injury) and Matt Downing (illness) were also ruled out at Clacton, where Jerrell Layne, Ollie Canfer, Marcus Josiah and 18-year-old Tom Driscoll, making his first start of the season after returning from university, were on target. Aaron Condon scored the home side’s reply.

Layne and Josiah have both recovered after ankle injuries, but fellow striker Lee McGlone is still sidelined after injuring an ankle in the 2-1 win at Ampthill in the fifth round proper of the FA Vase, and James Blades could be out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring at Ely.

It all adds up to a far-from-ideal preparation for the quarter-final tie, especially as Hadleigh still do not know who their opponents will be.

Larkhall Athletic and Tunbridge Wells are now due to play their twice-postponed fifth round proper tie on Saturday, with Hadleigh travelling to play the winners in the last eight the following Saturday.