Wrexham Evening Leader

More pain for Reds

Richard Williams
By Richard Williams, Evening Leader

11/12/06

Fracas at BostonMARK JONES today sees a specialist to determine the extent of his knee injury.

The midfielder, having overcome illness, was named in the team for Saturday’s 4-0 defeat against Boston United at York Street.

But Jones felt a problem with his knee during the warm-up and was replaced by Levi Mackin, and the 22-year-old – an ever present this season until Saturday – was undergoing tests today.

“I don’t know if I twisted my knee on Friday in training but I felt it during the warm-up. I was in a lot of pain,” said Jones, who had an operation on his knee earlier in the year. “It is disappointing because I was just coming back into form. It is frustrating, especially with a lot of games coming up during the Christmas period.

“I will see what the specialist says and just hope it is not too bad.”

Denis Smith will be hoping Jones’ injury is not as bad as feared because the Reds’ boss is now going to be without another Wales international, Steve Evans, until the New Year.

Evans was red carded at Boston for violent conduct after reacting to a poor challenge by Pilgrims’ striker Drewe Broughton.

The offence earns Evans a one-match ban but because the centre-half was dismissed earlier in the season, he is likely to see the suspension extended to four matches and would therefore be out of action until the New Year’s Day clash against Accrington Stanley at The Racecourse.

Smith did not argue with referee Dean Whitehouse’s decision to send off Evans but was disappointed that Broughton was not even cautioned: “He has got to go. But I thought there lad should have been booked or possibly sent off as well because the challenge was shocking on Steve.”

“We have got a lot of games coming up and I am going to have to do it without Steve which is a major blow.

Smith was confident that Wrexham, who reached half-time just 1-0 down, had a chance of getting back into the match and questioned whether Boston’s second goal just three minutes after the break was offside: “I thought we got bullied early on but the officials and Steve’s reaction did not help,” said Smith. “The idea was to keep it tight at half-time and I knew we would have a chance. Unfortunately the second goal has gone in and if he isn’t offside then I will have to question who played him on because he must have been five yards away from our nearest player.

“That killed the plans we had because at 1-0 we were still in the game.”

Defeat leaves Wrexham 18th in the League Two table but Smith still believes the Reds are capable of challenging at the other end of the table.

“I would be silly if I turned around and said no we can’t (get sucked into the relegation mire). But I would still say that with the squad we have got, which is available and if we keep ourselves on the pitch, we are capable of being at the other end of the table,” added Smith.

“Look at last week’s performance at Scunthorpe. We know what we are capable of – unfortunately we are obviously capable of this as well.”