Football: Rangers rocked by injury crisis
DEEPING Rangers boss Pat Rayment will rely on last minute fitness assessments before knowing who will feature on day one of the United Counties League tomorrow.
Rayment went into his mid-week training session with two players suspended and a further seven first choice players injured.
"At the moment I have only nine players available," said Rayment on Wednesday. "We lost our entire midfield at Spalding last week. I haven't a clue who we'll play.
"Michael Stevenson is out for at least four weeks with an ankle problem and Scott Musgrove and Danny Marlow have hamstring problems. Sam Seal our physio will have a busy time."
It is touch and go whether Musgrove and Marlow, a summer signing from Desborough, will be fit enough to play, leaving Rayment with selection dilemmas.
"If they play on Saturday will they could do themselves more damage - that is the problem," said Rayment, whose makeshift side lost to Peterborough and District League outfit Moulton Harrox 3-2 midweek.
Rayment was disappointed with the performance after an impressive pre-season which included a 5-1 victory over Spalding United and on Saturday a 3-0 win at Biggleswade United.
Rayment said: "We should have had enough quality on the pitch. We have shown good form in pre-season."
Mitch Griffiths, Andy Goodliffe and Spencer Tinkler were all on target as Rangers kept the first clean sheet of their pre-season - even without their first choice midfield - at Biggleswade.
"A lot of people have told me how impressed they have been with us," added Rayment. "That's always nice to hear but it's important we hit the ground running when the competitive action begins.
"It was nice to get a clean sheet on Saturday and I thought we absolutely mullered Spalding last week.
"The tempo of our play has been encouraging. We can't wait to get started."
l CHRIS Lincoln has been appointed manager of the Sunday U18 squad.
Michael Stevenson is likely to miss the first month of the season for Deeping Rangers
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Weather for Bourne
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to -0 C
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