Ferguson hoping for reduction in United’s injury list

The Sky Blues’ injury list intensified at the weekend after they lost defender Aaron Stewart and midfielder Brian McCaul in the 2-2 weekend draw at Warrenpoint Town.

Stewart, the club’s longest-serving player, is still awaiting an operation after damaging a shoulder after falling awkwardly, while McCaul will learn this week the extent of a knee injury which forced him off at Milltown.

It takes the number of first team players unavailable to Ferguson to NINE but the manager insists: “We haven’t talked about injuries in the press or media because we don’t want to make excuses when we’ve been going through a bad run.

“It’s not easy when you’re working with a squad of 21 or 22 players and nine or 10 of them can’t play.

“I’m not sure if we will have anyone available this week - a lot of our injuries are long-term.

“We’re hoping that Johnny Taylor and Stephen McBride might be half-fit to come into the squad but we will have to take a look at that during the week.

“We had a lot of square pegs in round holes at the weekend but to be fair, the boys worked their absolute socks off.”

United will attempt to end a run of eight Danske Bank Premiership matches without a win when they host Ballinamallard United this Saturday (3pm) - a dress rehearsal for the sides’ forthcoming WASP Solutions League Cup semi-final on December 16, this time at Ferney Park.

Match ball sponsor for Saturday’s game is The Kiosk Newsagents, Ballymena Railway Station.

* Seven Towers Supporters’ Club expresses sympathy to its member John Carson on the death of his father-in-law Johnston Logan.