HAKAN Hayrettin admits leading scorer Mo Bettamer is unlikely to feature in Braintree Town’s crunch basement battle with Dover Athletic this weekend after the striker declined to play for the club.

Bettamer pulled of the Iron’s squad to play Barnet in the FA Cup last Saturday on the morning of the match, after receiving interest from other clubs.

The 25-year-old, who has scored six times for Braintree this season, missed the 4-2 fourth qualifying round loss at the Hive.

Bettamer could have played his last game for Braintree, leaving caretaker manager Hayrettin disappointed.

Hayrettin said: “He’s been getting a bit of interest from other clubs.

“I had a phone call two or three hours before the game (against Barnet) to say that his head wasn’t in the right place for him to play.

“In my opinion, that was inappropriate and it came at the wrong time.

“I’d have conducted myself a bit more professionally.

“I don’t think he’ll be there on Saturday - he’s not under contract (at Braintree).

“He’s talking to other teams at the moment and good luck to him.

“But if a player says he doesn’t want to play, I don’t think that’s fair on the other players in the squad and you have to remember there are other players around you to consider.”

Braintree are preparing for an important match this weekend when they host second-from-bottom side Dover, at Cressing Road.

Just a point separates the two sides in the table, with the Iron desperate for a win in their bid to move away from the foot of the table.

“The significance of the game is that both teams are down there,” added Hayrettin, who was appointed as Braintree’s caretaker boss earlier this month following the departure of Brad Quinton.

“But you won’t win the league or stay up based on the result of one game.

“There’s still a long way to go, this season.

“It’s a game where the club has to try and get something but my job is to keep the players level-headed and calm and see what we can do.

“I know the importance of every game - I want to win every match I go into and we will go out to try and do exactly that.

“I hope the Braintree fans will get behind the team and be that 12th man.

“The players have to show that they are up for the fight and roll their sleeves up.

“They showed the kind of spirit you need at Barnet last weekend and they need to show that on a consistent basis.”

Braintree will check on the fitness of Christian Frimpong ahead of the Dover game, after he missed the Barnet defeat because of a knee injury.