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Injury worries at Moat Ground
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Gresley Rovers face, if not the most daunting, then certainly one of the most dreary trips of the season tomorrow with the fitness of two key midfield players in doubt.
Skipper Richard Denby and former Derby County midfielder Stuart Stokes have both been absent from training all week with groin and back problems respectively and face fitness tests before lining up against bottom-of-the-table Tipton Town.To compound manager Frank Northwood’s selection problems, in-form defender John Barry gets married tomorrow and misses the trip.
And the man Northwood had earmarked to replace him, John Bottomley, suffered a split eye in Tuesday’s reserve team game at Rushall and is also doubtful.
Despite all this, though, Northwood is confident his cock-a-hoop league leaders will take things in their stride – despite a record of rarely performing well at Tipton’s atmospheric sports centre ground.
“They’re bottom of the league but it’s another game we’ve got to go out and win,” said Northwood today.
“We’ve never done that well at Tipton but the way we’ve been playing we’ve got to be looking for a good result. They’ll obviously be looking for points because they haven’t got any yet and it’ll be a hard match. Lye only managed to win 1-0 there. But we’ve got enough quality and we’ve made a superb start.”
Northwood singled out veteran striker Brian Beresford for particular praise.
“You’ve got to take your hat off to Bezza. He was substitute for the opening game of the season, Andy Moore got injured, he came into the side and he’s got seven goals. What can you say other than ‘the number 10 shirt’s all yours?”
“He’s obviously benefited from a summer’s rest. He’s been looking sharp and he’ll be after more goals tomorrow. We’ll just hope Denby’s fit. But we’ve got options if he’s not and I’m not worried.”
