Paddy Davitt King's Lynn player/boss Carl Heggs is poised for his home debut in tonight's Unibond Premier Division game against Hucknall (7.45pm). Heggs confirmed Mansfield loan signing Jason Bradley had been ruled out for up to six weeks after damaging ankle ligaments in the weekend league win over Bradford Park Avenue.

Paddy Davitt

King's Lynn player/boss Carl Heggs is poised for his home debut in tonight's Unibond Premier Division game against Hucknall (7.45pm).

Heggs confirmed Mansfield loan signing Jason Bradley had been ruled out for up to six weeks after damaging ankle ligaments in the weekend league win over Bradford Park Avenue. The big targetman has returned to the Stags for further treatment but will link up again with Lynn next month after notching a superb debut day goal against the Yorkshire outfit.

Bradley was carried off in the second half at The Walks before undergoing hospital scans to assess the extent of his left ankle injury.

“He's got a grade two ligament tear which is going to be between four and six weeks,” said Heggs. “As soon as he is fit he will come back here. Initially he thought he'd broken it but that wasn't the case. I've told him when he makes challenges like that as a striker when you are doing down the line of the ball you have to brace yourself rather than just dangle a leg. All the weight of the other player goes through it, which is where you get injured, but he's a young lad who will learn with experience. He came along to training and I think he was genuinely excited to be part of it and could see what a great team spirit we have here.”

Heggs hinted he will lead the line tonight alongside Anthony Robinson in Bradley's absence with former Norwich academy youngster Nick Davey drafted back into the squad.

“We need someone who can hold the ball up and play off,” he said. “I can throw myself on to do that job. We won't be able to bring anyone else in before this game because it's so hard to find any decent targetmen who are available. The good ones are going to be a big part of what any ambitious club wants to achieve.

“Nick went and had a game for the reserves at the weekend because I didn't see the point of making him sit on the bench every weekend. At his age he needs to be playing so if we have to bring in him he has that match fitness to fall back on.”

Heggs is confident Lynn's upward curve can continue against The Yellows.

“We got a monkey off our backs at the weekend,” he said. “I also think we played some decent football and with this squad we are only going to go one way now. The nucleus is there and with more games together that confidence and understanding will come. I went to Tamworth as a player and in the first season Gary Mills gradually got a good young squad together but they finished 17th or so in the Conference North. People were calling for him to be sacked but the board kept faith and they stormed the league the following year. I'm not saying that will happen here but long term we have a great chance.”

King's Lynn (from): Gay, Magunda, Spencer, Aisien, Rowe-Turner, Boyce, Smedley, Webb, Smith, Story, Lloyd, Beswick, Robinson, McAnally, Martin, Heggs, Davey.

t Goal alerts and all the major incidents from tonight's game are available on our live updates service at www.pinkun.com/content/pinkun/kings-lynn/live/2009-2010/090922Hucknall.aspx