Pre-season injuries hit United league squad

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33191, 3 April 1973, Page 26

Pre-season injuries hit United league squad

(By

D. P. MANSBRIDGE)

The next five days will be anxious ones for the Christchurch United coach (T. Conley) with the start of the Rothmans National Soccer League on Saturday.

Four of his 17 man first-team squad are on the injured list, and he may not know until the ■morning of United’s opening game, against the strong Blockhouse Bay team at English Park on Saturday, who I will be fit to play.

! All four were key players, from last season’s Chatham! i Cup-winning side — the| strikers. A. Marley and I. (Park, the full-back, L. Bly th.' and the goal-keeper, A.j | Fleming. ; Marley has not played | |since New Zealand's World j !Cup match against Iraq in j Sydney on March 13. During I the warm-up for that fixture., Marley stubbed his foot into! the ground, suffered severe! ; swelling and injury to the ! ligaments in his right ankle, 'and missed the whole second'

round of the World Cup programme. Park (thigh) and Blyth (leg) were injured in the preseason tournament semi-final against New Brighton and missed United's last two build-up games. Fleming suffered two cracked ribs playing against Rangers on i Saturday. “UPSETTING START’’ “It has been the most upsetting start we have had to any national league season,” Mr Conley said yesterday. “I feel reasonably sure that | Laurie Blyth will play, and II am hopeful that Alan MarHey will also be fit. perhaps iwith the help of an injecItion before the game. : “There is a greater doubt 'about lan Park’s availability, i although he will be having constant treatment this week to his injured groin. Tony Fleming will report to me on his injury on Thursday, but I expect him to miss a couple of games, at least.”

less missed than the others, for United has its pre-season signing, P. Dando, to play in goal, and Dando has already shown brilliant form in the pre-season games. CLOSE CHOICE

The choice between a fit Fleming and Dando would have been very close, and Dando might have had the inside running. “It is not a position about which a coach can be unhappy," Mr Conley said. “I am fortunate to have two such fine goal-keepers in the squad.” United, however, will be far more hard-pressed if neither Park nor Marley is available.

Mr Conley yesterday named his contracted 17 players for the first-team squad. They are: Dando, Fleming, j. Oliver, Blyth, P. McMillan, K. France (captain), G. Griffiths, T. Randles, B. Hardman, S. Sumner, Park, F. Madrussan, Marley, K.

Doornenbal, G. Dacombe, S. Cameron, R. Taylor. Brighton has fewer worries concerning its team to play Wellington City on Sunday. The mid-field player, G. Storer, who had three stitches inserted in a foot wound 10 days ago, hopes to be fit.

R. McGrain, who suffered concussion after the club’s game with Caversham on Sunday, should also be recovered.

United will add an extra training session to its programme this season for its Sunday games. The squad will train on Tuesdays and Thursdays when it plays on a Saturday, and Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Sunday fixtures.

The draw for the first matches in the first division of the Southern League on Saturday is:— Queen’s Park (Invercargill) v. Western, Invercargill; Dunedin North End v. Invercargill City, Dunedin; Technical (Christ, church) v. Shamrock. Ensors Road. 2.45 p.m.; Roslyn-Wakari v. Rangers, Dunedin: Woolston W.M.C. V. Mosgiei. Garrick Park, Woolston, 2.45 p.m.

Fleming, probably will be