Martin Allen hopes to re-integrate Keanu Marsh-Brown into the side sooner rather than later, but has sent Sam Muggleton home for a week to recover from a blow to his ankle.

Marsh-Brown has not featured for the Bees since the 4-0 win over Dartford on August Bank Holiday Monday and has been sidelined due to a recurring thigh issue. Meanwhile left-back Muggleton took a blow to the ankle in a heavy challenge at Braintree Town on Tuesday.

Speaking after Barnet’s 1-0 win against Eastleigh at The Hive this afternoon, Allen admitted he was hoping to be able to call on Marsh-Brown sooner rather than later.

He explained: “Keanu trained with us a for a short while on Thursday, but he has still got a very sore thigh, so we have got to wait a week now really to treat that and get that back to 100 per cent fitness.

"The moves have not happened, so I am looking forward now to Keanu perhaps to the end of next week maybe [joining back in]. We need to get that thigh right because it keeps giving him pain.

“I think that kid deserves our help and our support and hopefully soon we will have him back involved with us.”

Asked if that meant the former Fulham youngster would be considered for first-team selection, Allen said: “Yes absolutely.

“The same with all our players; we had Iffy Allen here today, who is not quite getting into the team doing all the warm-ups with the players. I do my upmost to keep everybody who is injured involved with us, around us and to be part of us.

“It is not easy for those players when they are not on the subs’ bench, but Keanu, once he gets over that thigh [problem] then absolutely [we will play]. Hopefully sooner rather than later we will have him back involved with us.”

The Bees head coach was also able to provide an update on Muggleton, who was withdrawn during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Essex and missed out on this afternoon’s triumph over the Spitfires – the first time he has been absent from a matchday squad this season.

Said Allen: “He has not broken it and he has not fractured it. He has got a gash and he has got severe bruising on his ankle joint. I have sent him back home up to Leicester.

“So I have sent home to have a bit of time out and see his mum and dad and we will review him next Friday.”

He continued: “You have got to remember Sam is only 18 and he has come on as a player unbelievably. Everyone talks about his long throw, but he has come on as a footballer and as a player.

“For an 18-year-old away from his family; he lives down here, he trains every day. He does a little bit of work behind the scenes to make sure all the bits and pieces get done with the balls, bibs and discs and keeping a good order around the offices and the training areas.”

Skipper Charlie MacDonald has been sidelined since September 10 after suffering medial ligament damage to his knee in the 3-0 win at Dover Athletic, but Allen was upbeat about the 33-year-old's recovery.

“Charlie MacDonald has really progressed well this week,” enthused Allen. “He has had a couple of injections and he has been training with a consultant to bring him back to fitness quicker.”

To read Martin Allen's thoughts on Saturday's 1-0 win over Eastleigh, click here.