Jags boss hoping for a lucky break after latest injury blow
Strathspey Thistle boss Ryan Esson has said injuries are taking their toll on his side as he continues to negotiate a congested fixture list.
There has been no let up for the new gaffer since his arrival with a run of weekend and midweek games and little chance to coach his players on the training pitch.
Tomorrow sees the Grantown club go to Station Park in Nairn on Highland League business before entertaining Sauchie Juniors on Scottish Cup duty at Seafield Park the following Saturday 28 September.
Scot Docherty is the latest to be added to the long injury list after taking a bad blow late on against Clach last Saturday.
He is expected to be out for eight to 10 weeks although there is no official word from the club’s medical staff.
Esson said: “He has an incomplete fracture of his leg. It will likely be treated like a break and he will be in a boot.
“I thought at the time it was a bit of a worse challenge than it actually was when I watched it back.
“He just got really unlucky. It was not malicious. It is a sore one for Scot and a sore one for us as he has been doing really well in the past few weeks.
“He had kicked on.”
There is some good news with Josh Race making a return as a substitute in the 2-0 reverse to Clach midweek.
He should be back in contention to start against Nairn County.
However, Conor MacPhee is still out; Jamie Calder is on holiday; Zach MacPhee is two weeks away from a return while Dylan Lawrence is a long term absentee.
The Jags have been looking to make a signing or two but so far without success.
Esson said “We have looked at three deals but unfortunately none of them came off.”
The boss was expecting to look at a couple of triallists in the Clach and Nairn County games as he looks to make up the short numbers.
He said they have good Highland League experience. “We are where we are,” he said. “The injuries are mounting and the players need help.
“We can not keep sending out the same 12 or 13 players and asking them to keep on going.
“Liam Shewan is just back from injury and we are asking him to do 90 minutes three times per week so it is really tough. All these things add up.
“It is a tough period that we need to get through.”
