Lee Minshull admits he is beginning to think the footballing gods are conspiring against him after suffering another injury setback last weekend.

In just his second substitute appearance since spending eight weeks out with knee ligament damage, the midfielder broke a toe in his right foot in the defeat at Barrow.

And the 25-year-old reveals he was left wondering just what he had done to deserve such misery.

Minshull said: “Perhaps it was fate that I was not meant to play again this year.

“I cannot believe it to be honest.

“When I was running at Barrow I felt a crack in my foot but as I had just come on I thought I would run it off.

“I finished the game and then went for an X-Ray and they told me it was broken.

“Apparently the tendons tightened and tore a strip of my bone off in one of my toes.

“I was hoping it was just going to be a strain so I am absolutely gutted.

“I had worked so hard to get back from the last injury sooner than expected so to have this happen is a real blow.”

The former Tonbridge Angels player was back in training this week with his foot heavily strapped, concentrating on upper body weights, and is expected to be out for another six weeks.

And Minshull says the frustration at his absence from the squad extends past himself.

He added: “I was pretty down when I went back to the club on Monday.

“Terry Brown pulled me aside and told me to keep my head up.

“He said it is just one of those things.

“It is extremely frustrating for him as much as me as I have not been able to contribute like I wanted.

“I just want to stay as fit as I can and try and get back as soon as I can.

“We are doing so well at the moment and I am desperate to be involved in that success.”