More misery for Foresters

CINDERFORD have been hit by a backs crisis ahead of their tough trip to Blaydon in National One tomorrow.

With kickers Danny Trigg and Tim Stevenson already ruled out until January following shoulder surgery and centre Dave Knight still not available, yet more misery has been piled on coach Phil Greenaway.

Centre Ryan Cumbers has had his suspected broken ankle confirmed and Ollie Winterbottom will not travel to the North East following his concussion last week.

To make things worse, back row Dan Hall has a broken thumb, forcing the coach to dig out his old boots for a possible appearance.

Greenaway said: “We have got George Evans that can come back in and some of the second-team players have been playing quite well so they may get a look in, people like Will Foden and Steph Hawley.

“I might have to get my boots out and sit on the bench which I am quite excited about.

“Dan Hall is waiting to hear if he needs surgery, Ryan is looking like he will be out for eight weeks and Ollie will not travel after his bang on the head.”

The Foresters have started the season in disappointing fashion, losing all of their first three matches without picking up any bonus points.

Only whipping boys Manchester, who have so far conceded a total of 388 points in their three fixtures, are below Cinderford in the table.

But despite those damning statistics, Greenaway is clinging on to the memory of last season’s trip to fourth placed Blaydon when they were one of the few teams to return home victorious.

“It is a good challenge for us and one we are looking forward to,” he said.

“Not many teams go up to Blaydon and come home with a win.

“We did win there last season and I still do not know how we did because we played terribly.

“But I would take anything this weekend. It is a tough trip but we went there last year and won, so we will hang on to that.”

source: thisisgloucestershire