INJURY-HIT Eastleigh will have a new face between the sticks at Aldershot Town tomorrow night (7.45pm).

The club have moved to loan goalkeeper Scott Brown from Wycombe Wanderers as they wait on the results of a scan on Ryan Clarke’s elbow, damaged in a training session en route to Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Gateshead.

Clarke's young deputy, Ryan Huddart, produced a man-of-the-match performance on Tyneside, but the 19-year-old Arsenal loanee is feeling under the weather.

And, in any case, manager Ronnie Moore wants to go with experience as the 11th-placed Spitfires bid to improve on an eight-game National League run that has yielded just ten points.

Brown, 31, spent two years in the Scottish Premier League with Aberdeen, keeping a club record eight consecutive clean sheets and helping the Dons achieve a Europa League finish.

He is best known this side of the border for his nine-year stint with Cheltenham Town.

He joined Wycombe on a two-year deal in July, but an injury sustained on the first day of the season sidelined him for three months during which time Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman has impressed.

Brown’s only recent appearance came in the Checkatrade Trophy clash with Coventry City and Wycombe believe he will benefit from first-team football at Eastleigh during a 28-day loan.

Moore said: “The guy’s played 250-odd games for Cheltenham and we had to move sharpish. Even though the kid did well on Saturday, I need experience.

"Ryan (Huddart) is not too well anyway and we might have to go with a young lad on the bench.”

Clarke’s injury is just the tip of the ice-berg for Eastleigh, who will be without skipper and centre-back Ryan Cresswell for at least three months after he underwent an operation to repair torn knee cartilage on Friday.

“They could have taken it out, which would have meant four to six weeks out, but they’ve done the right thing trying to save the cartilage,” said Moore.

“They’re saying four months out, but it depends what sort of healer Cress turns out to be. If he’s a good healer, it should be okay in three.”

Winger Jake Howells may also require a knee operation, while ball-playing midfielder Andy Drury has joined the casualty list after limping off at Gateshead with hamstring trouble.

To add insult to injury, Cresswell’s central defensive partner Reda Johnson is suspended tomorrow after picking up a fifth yellow card.

“It’s all come at the wrong time,” said Moore. “We have tried to strengthen and we’re waiting on one or two things.

“But I keep getting players knocking on my door asking why they’re not playing, so tomorrow we’ll know.

“It’s a big blow losing the two from central defence but it means Ayo Obileye or whoever will get a chance.

“It’s the same with Drury.

“We were kick and rush after he came off on Saturday. If he stays on, we probably win. No disrespect to the other two in there, but they’re different types of player.”

Scott Wilson, who scored at Gateshead, is in line for another start although Moore is not convinced the striker is fully match-fit yet after a long spell sidelined with hamstring trouble.

"He's done alright, but there's still a lot to come. He needs to be hungrier with his work-rate," said the boss.

"If it means he's knackered after 70 minutes, so be it. It's the only way to get match fit."