Crunch away trips for Sky Blues

ROY Walker is likely to have a few last-minute decisions to make ahead of a crunch week for Ballymena United.

The Sky Blues boss has a number of injury concerns ahead of trips to Glentoran tonight (Tuesday, 7.45pm) and Coleraine this Saturday (3pm).

Thankfully, the majority of the issues fall into the 'niggly' category rather than serious but may force the manager to re-think some of his original plans.

"I think (sports therapist) Gordy McCartney will be the busiest man at the Showgrounds this week!" Roy told Times Sport.

"Richard Gibson was only on the bench at Banbridge on Saturday as a precaution – he and Albert Watson missed three-quarters of this week's training with abductor muscle injuries.

"Gavin Taggart has a calf strain – he was left out on Saturday but we think he'll be OK for the Oval.

"Eamonn picked up a wee thigh strain at Banbridge so we took him off at half-time simply as a precaution.

"Nathan Hanley also got a wee bit of a bump at Banbridge and was tired but it gave me the opportunity to give Lee Colligan the chance to stretch his legs after a few weeks on the sidelines.

"Ryan Berry played 45 for the Reserves on Tuesday night and trained hard on Thursday night and he was available for selection on Saturday but we would need to see him get 90 minutes under his belt."

Of the longer-term absentees, goalkeeper Ryan Brown has his arm in plaster for another three weeks, while striker Andy Smith could face a similar timescale in the next stage of his treatment of a deep-seated groin/hamstring problem.

"I went with Andy during the week to see Professor Michael Cullen who diagnosed bursitis - bursar joints are the little sacs that hold the fluid.

"Andy has to have an ultrasound-type scan to pinpoint the exact area for an injection of steroids to go in which will hopefully sort that out. It is also deep-seated up in his hamstring.

"He has a date of three weeks away which means he won't play in the meantime but we're going to try to see if we can get that brought forward."

Before then, Walker has the more immediate task of guidng United through two tough away trips.

"We're on the road again and it's two good games for us, which no-one will need geed up for.

"We didn't go with our usual shape at Banbridge and we'll change it again for Glentoran because as I've often said, it's horses for courses.

"Do you stick a square peg in a round hole and expect it to perform the same function? It doesn't, so a lot of your shape depends on your personnel.

"People have remarked about our good away form this season, but outside of one poor home performance, the home ones have also been good – I don't believe we really set ourselves up any differently away from home or at home and all in all, our performance levels have been decent," added Roy.

Seven Towers Supporters' Club transport to tonight's game leaves Henry Street car park at 6.45pm and on Saturday, from the same location at 2pm.

Related topics: