HELLENIC LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP: Purton's cup hopes back in safe hands
6:00am Friday 28th September 2012 in Sport
PURTON hope to welcome back a natural goalkeeper in time for their first-round Challenge Cup clash at Clanfield tomorrow.
Right-back Leigh Brown has donned the gloves in the last three games with Lee Wilson missing, while first-choice stopper Johnny Cowley has a thumb injury.
The Red House side’s injury problems do not stop there with midfielder Marcus Hall not having played a competitive game this season due to injury, while centre-back Nick McRae is still out.
Positive results have been tough to come by and Purton currently sit 17th in Division One West, and a break for cup action could prove welcome.
Striker Richie Crocker explained: “We’ve had Browner in goal in the last few games and to be fair to him he’s been doing alright.
“We’ve had a bit of a makeshift team of late it’s affecting us quite badly. Plus we’re missing Marcus and aren’t taking our chances very well, and that’s the whole team.
“We need a result to pick us all back up so we can try and get a bit of a run going.”
Chairman Alan Eastwood added: “We haven’t started off too well, mainly because we’ve had a serious amount of injuries. We’ve found it difficult to pick a settled side.
“The squad has been decimated by injury and suspension.”
Elsewhere in the competition, Wootton Bassett face a trip to Wantage, while New College, who lost 2-0 at home to Cheltenham in the second round of the Floodlit Cup on Wednesday, visit Thatcham.
New College will be without injured duo Sam Brown and Ben Wells while Ryan Stanners and Josh Skeates are unavailable.
Malmesbury face Buckinghamshire-based outfit Penn and Tylers Green and they have midfielder Jon Smith and striker Jordan Mathews available, but Max Sparrow will play no part.
Other cup games locally see Fairford make the trip to Easington while Lambourn entertain Holyport and Cricklade face Ascot at Stones Lane.
