Late heartache for injury-hit Morpeth Town in Yorkshire
Morpeth Town boss Craig Lynch will hope to have skipper Jeff Henderson back off the treatment table for the visit of Hyde United on Saturday.
Although boosted by Nathan Buddle’s return for Tuesday’s floodlit 3-3 draw at Guiseley, both Henderson and Josh King were missing from the 14-man squad that travelled to West Yorkshire as the injuries pile up at Craik Park.
“It never rains but it pours with injuries at the minute,” groaned Lynch after Morpeth exited the FA Cup last weekend when they went down 3-1 at National League North side Spennymoor Town.
The Highwaymen were left with a mountain to climb after conceding from two first half corners with Glen Taylor poking in the opener and Rob Ramshaw then powering in a header for the second. Isaac Fletcher volleyed in the third in the 72nd minute.
Luke James pulled one back with five minutes to go as he let fly from 30-yards and his shot was spilled by keeper Jonathon Mitchell into the goal.
But a dead leg that has forced Henderson to take ice bath treatments this week and a more serious and possible long-term injury to King during the game left the manager shaking his head as his squad gets short on numbers.
On-loan striker Sam Hodgson was recalled by parent club South Shields and a number of players have picked up serious knocks.
“We’ve got Liam Miller, who did his ACL last year and didn’t get surgery because we thought it would heal and he’s done it again, so he’s going to need surgery - Vinnie Steels, fingers crossed, isn’t as bad as we first thought, Jeff Henderson has a really bad dead leg, and Kingy looks like he’s going to be out ages as well,” said Lynch.
“It’s a case of we’re not just getting little injuries but it could be months or up to a year. It’s a hard one to talk about, the injuries, so we’re just going to have to regroup and I’m on the phone all the time, we need players in, and we need to try and get them.”
Jack Foalle netted a first half double at Guiseley with a sliding back post effort and a drilled shot before Jordan Hickey fired in a stunning third ten minutes after the break. The Highwaymen had their hearts broken deep into stoppage time when Jordan Thewlis levelled.
Will Longbottom had hit first half brace for the Lions.