Chickens won't risk recuperating Ross (From This is Hampshire)

Chickens won't risk recuperating Ross

8:30am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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Chickerell United midfielder Ross Doidge will not be risked for their Dorset Premier League trip to Sturminster Marshall tomorrow (3pm).

Doidge is still hampered by a troublesome ankle injury and manager Brendon King has prescribed him an extra week’s rest to recuperate before a punishing run-in commences.

The Chickens will contest 10 fixtures in April – including mouth-watering ones against both Portland United and Weymouth Reserves – for which their playmaker should be an integral figure.

King said: “Ross is not 100 per cent fit yet and he will be a big loss for us, but we aren’t going to rush him back with so many games coming up.

“We know that April is going to be a very busy month and that’s why we are taking our time with Ross. He’s a very important player for us and we want him to be fully fit.”

An injury cloud is also hanging over skipper Dan Welch, who damaged his calf in last weekend’s Dorset Premier League Cup defeat by Parley Sports, while Warren White remains suspended.

King concedes his charges have been below par of late but cites the fact that they are still very much in contention for the title as proof of their durability.

And capturing three points away to mid-table Sturminster tomorrow could shrink the eight-point deficit that currently separates third-placed Chickerell and table-topping Hamworthy Recreation.

“It’s probably fair to say we’ve not been playing at our best recently but we are still there or thereabouts in the league so we must be doing something right,” King added.

“All sides go through a blip at some stage in a season and it’s the sign of a good side if you can grind out results while not playing particularly well.

“It shows we have got some mental belief as well as footballing ability. You always want to play at your best but the most important thing is to win and that’s what we are doing.”

Chickens (from): Weeks, Oliver, Burton, Welch, Anstey, Reader, Barrow, Litherland, Evans, Hall, Roper, Marshallsay, Linaker, Beads.