AFTER sitting out a huge chunk of the season through injury, Sholing defender Pete Castle faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Castle’s ‘twin tower’ partnership with Lee Bright last term was the rock on which the Boatmen’s FA Trophy/Sydenhams Premier double was built.

But the 27-year-old, pictured, missed much of the first half of this season while recovering from a summer knee operation and has now been knocked back by a damaged quad muscle.

Castle’s problems encapsulate an unsettled Southern One South & West campaign for the Boatmen who, having seen many of their Vase heroes retire or move on, have had their rebuilding process sabotaged by injury. Agreeing that 2014/15 had been something of a write-off for Castle, manager Dave Diaper said: “That’s been the case for him and the club in general.

“I said to the lads the other night that we’ve got nine league games left and, hopefully, two cup matches and then we can put this season behind us.

“We’re in no danger of going down and I think we’ve achieved something just by staying in the Southern League.

“As a club it’s now about taking stock of where we are and trying to move forward with another three-year plan.”

Sholing, non-movers in 17th spot, travel to 13th-placed Mangotsfield tomorrow.

But, arguably, the highlight of the week comes next Wednesday when they entertain Stephen Purches’s AFC Bournemouth development squad in the semi-finals of the Hampshire FA Senior Cup.

It will be a tall order for the Boatmen to get through. But Diaper would love to do battle with his good friend Alex Pike, manager of Gosport Borough, in next month’s Fratton Park final.

Borough beat Farnborough 3-1 in the first semi-final on Tuesday and Diaper said: “Me and Alex get on well.

“Bournemouth will be a tough cookie, but I’d love to play Gosport.

“They’ve had a great season in the Conference South and are in with a strong chance of the play-offs which is good to see.

“Getting to a Hampshire Senior Cup final will be a new experience for Alex whereas we’ve been there a couple of times in our recent history. It would be great to get there again.”

Gosport midfielder Mike Carter – one of Sholing’s Vase heroes last season – still works for Diaper as an electrician at BSA Regal in Southampton. “If we do reach the final, I might have to give Mike a job in London that night!” laughed the Boatmen’s boss.