WARREN Byerley has agreed to join the Magpies on loan but will not be available for this afternoon’s clash at Boreham Wood (3pm).

Phil Simkin has been keen to add a striker to his ranks ever since loanee Brandon Goodship returned to AFC Bournemouth.

And although Byerley has not been getting many minutes for Southern Premier Division outfit Poole Town of late, the Dorchester Town boss is confident the 28-year-old can still do the business.

He told Echosport: “Warren is a player I know very well and Tommy Killick (Poole boss) has agreed to let us have him on loan for a month. However, the paperwork has not been done yet, so he won’t be with us tomorrow.

“Warren and I have spent a lot of time together over the years and he has always done well for me.

“He has not had the best of luck with injuries in his career to be fair to him but he has always scored goals, and hopefully he can do the same now.”

Simkin worked with Byerley during his time at Hamworthy United and he also came close to signing him for Dorchester around this time last year.

He added: “He has not played very much since he has been at Poole but regardless of the level of football, a goalscorer is a goalscorer, and I have no doubts he will score goals for us.

“When the ball drops in the box, he is very clinical and he is probably one of the best at one-on-ones with the keeper I have seen.

“He cannot perhaps chase down as much as he used to but I also know he will give everything he can to the cause.

“We will get him doing some intensive work during next week in order to get him ready for the game against Dover next Saturday.”

Unfortunately for Simkin, there is every chance he could be without Jake McCarthy for a while.

The defender, who joined the Magpies on youth loan terms just last week, was set to make his debut today until he turned his ankle in a training session at parent club AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday evening.

At first, Simkin was hopeful the first-year pro might shake off the problem but it now appears the injury could be lot worse.

He added: “We might not see Jake for months.

“I have been told the injury is a bad one and there could well be ligament damage.

“It’s a huge blow and it means Ashley Vickers will now play alongside Jake Smeeton this afternoon at the heart of the defence with Mark Jermyn and Steve Walker both suspended.”

On-loan forward Clive Makoni is also banned for Dorchester this afternoon but the Wood have a couple of players serving suspensions too in Greg Morgan and Mark Jones.

The Magpies currently sit bottom of Skrill South, six points and five places adrift of Boreham with a game in hand.