CO-CAPTAIN Luke English is a doubt for Worcester City’s return to Midland Football League action on Saturday (3pm).

Wing-back English was withdrawn at half-time during Wednesday night’s 3-1 Buildbase FA Vase second-round win over Dunkirk due to a hamstring problem.

It is an area of the muscle that has been affected by surgery in the past.

City will have to check on English’s fitness before they tackle hosts Highgate United in the Premier Division.

English has made 16 appearances and chipping in with four goals to date.

City manager Ashley Vincent said: “It is something we will have to nurse and look into.

“He pulled up with a twinge in his hamstring. We are not sure how serious it is and will have to check on it.

“It is from a previous injury and they are never great ones. He has a weakening in the area but Luke is a fit boy who looks after himself so hopefully that will help him.

“The fact it has cropped up is possibly down to a bit of fatigue, overstretching or overexerting.

“We are hoping it is a short-term thing but this weekend might come too soon for him.”

Centre-half Joe Hawkins was in the stands for the victory at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground on Wednesday, also with a hamstring complaint.

Signed during the early part of the season having rejected the offer of a contract at Cradley Town, Hawkins has produced a number of impressive displays at the heart of City’s backline.

“Joe did it at Pershore and has been working with Shannon (Kincade, sports therapist) since,” said Vincent.

“It is not a great one for us. We are not totally sure about how long it will be and he is going to be a big miss going forward.

“We will get him back as soon as we can because he has proved he belongs at this level minimum since coming in.

“That’s all credit to a lad that has only been playing senior Saturday football for a year.”

City can move above Highgate by winning at the weekend with the sides 15th and 14th respectively in the 20-team table on 11 points.

Worcester, looking for only their fourth league win of the season in 12 games, beat Highgate 2-0 at home earlier in the Vase run during September thanks to goals from Hawkins and striker Sean Brain who was later sent off for a foul.

This will be the first league meeting between the sides this season with Highgate due to visit Bromsgrove on Saturday, December 14.

The Shirley-based club have four wins and two draws from 13 games but they had three points deducted for fielding an unregistered player against Romulus in a 2-1 success on the opening day of the season.

City have another midweek fixture ahead at Premier Division high-fliers Sporting Khalsa on Tuesday in the League Cup second round.