“NATURAL goalscorer” Sean Brain is primed to return for Worcester City’s FA Vase tie at Pinchbeck United tomorrow (3pm) – but there is bad news for another member of the strikeforce.

Jak Jeys, withdrawn six minutes into the home league match with Stourport Swifts on August Bank Holiday Monday, could require an operation and up to six months on the sidelines to solve a knee problem.

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Jeys had caught the eye during the opening month with three goals in three starts and three substitute appearances and was expected to be back in a matter of weeks only for his prognosis to get worse.

“Jak has a knee problem that needs to be checked out via a scan but we think it is a serious one that will keep him out for a period of time and might need surgery,” said manager Ashley Vincent.

“It could be a three-to-six-month injury and we will not be seeing him on the pitch any time soon.”

Apart from Brain’s four from less than two halves of football, City have struggled to find the finishing touch with his suspension following a straight red card in the last round of the FA Vase only highlighting the problem.

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And while Vincent is understandably pleased to have his top poacher back, the boss knows the load will has to be shared.

“The natural goalscorer in our squad has not been available for the past three games, he has four goals in 70 minutes of football and getting him on the pitch will be a big help,” he added.

“We need to help the boys who are not scoring goals. In training we can give them the confidence they need but then they have to repay us by starting to hit the back of the net and concentrating on being in the right areas at the right times.

“It is also down to me to look to solve that problem and if I can’t do it from within the squad I am going to have to do it from outside.

“Last season we turned over too many players and I am conscious of not reaching for stop-gaps to solve problems short-term, I want to work with these players and help them to get better.

“When they buy into each other you get more effort, which I know I always get. Now it is the quality and ruthlessness around the box that we need to improve on.”

Dan Okojie (twisted ankle) and Josh Willis (dead leg) have stepped up their recoveries this week and will be assessed ahead of the trip to Lincolnshire.

The first round tie, which takes place at Pinchbeck’s groundshare base Spalding United, is worth £825 to the winners who will be six stages from a Wembley final.