Injuries are inevitable in sport but the Maitland Magpies were not banking on losing two of one of the most potent front third in the Northern NSW NPL competition.
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Ryan Clarke, who returns from a one-week ban against Newcastle Jets Youth on Sunday, and Matt Thompson are the remaining member of the talented quartet with Josh Dutton-Black and Matt Comerford both succumbing to season ending knee injuries.
The Magpies will also be without talented youngsters Chris Fayers and Jimmy Thompson.
Fayers is on a four-week trial in Malta and Thompson is leaving for the US on a full scholarship to play football with a college in Texas.
Clarke will be partnered up front by Sean Pratt, who joined the Magpies from Hamilton to replace Dutton-Black. with either youngster Tommy Duggan or new signing Justin Nicholas to replace Commerford.
Comerford had been in scintillating form prior to injuring his knee in the 0-all draw against Valentine.
“The new boy we signed Justin Nicholas, either him or Tommy Duggan will come into the starting side for Cummo,” Magpies coach Mick Bolch said. “Justin’s a Central Coast boy, he played third division in Spain last summer with CF Lliria.
“Tommy Duggan has been doing well knocking on the door, he’ll be a chance at some stage against the Jets.
“We’ve lost a fair bit of talent, Chris Fayers is overseas on a trial in Malta for at least the next four weeks.
“We’ve lost Dutton-Black for the year, we’ve lost Cummo for the year, we’ve lost Jimmy Thompson for the year and we’ve lost Chrissy Fayers.”
One big plus for the remainder of the year is the return of Matt Swan, although Bolch says he will be eased into the game after a long break and is likely to get 20 minutes off the bench.
The Magpies will need to be at their best against the Jets on Sunday as they enter a series of must-win game.s
“They are only two points behind us on the ladder, they beat Olympic last week and had probably their best four players overseas on the Chinese tour so they’re definitely going to be a very strong battle on the weekend.
“It’s still in our own hands, it’s been disappointing to have won only one of our last six. It’s only been that other teams have been as inconsistent as us that we are still in the top four.
“Our run home we play the big four clubs in Olympic, Magic, Edgey and Jaffas but if you want to be there at the business end of the season you need to beat them.”
