Western Morning News (Saturday)
Striker Bowman in contention after suspension
EXETER City manager Matt Taylor said goalkeeper Jonny Maxted was lucky not to lose a finger after a freak training injury recently.
Maxted suffered a compound fracture of his little finger several weeks ago, but the break appears far worse than first thought as he faces a further four weeks on the sidelines with the digit needing more time to recover.
It has been an unfortunate time for the 27-year-old, who also suffered a dislocated knee earlier in the season in another freak training ground accident. His absence means that 15-year-old Harry Lee will continue on the bench for today’s clash with Leyton Orient, with on-loan Jokull Andresson between the posts.
“Jonny Maxted is going to be out for another four weeks unfortunately,” Taylor said. “The bone at the top of his little finger is still displaced and requires a longer period of recovery than the ‘normal’ time frame of recovery for a fracture.
“He’s been so unfortunate. He has a displaced finger joint, right at the end, and he had a knee dislocation from the impact of a ball – and he had a side strain last season.
“It’s been that sort of period where we have had injuries that you don’t envisage happening. But to be fair to Jonny, it could have been a lot worse.
“Jonny could easily have lost the end of that finger, if that joint had completely gone, and the split where the finger broke could have been a lot worse, in terms of the compound fracture.”
While Maxted’s injury was the result of training, the relentless run of games being played is certainly beginning to take its toll on the Grecians, with injuries mounting and plenty of fatigue in the camp.
Pierce Sweeney is doubtful to face Orient after injuring ankle ligaments in the 2-0 defeat to Crawley, while Tom Parkes serves the second of his threematch ban for a red card at Crawley.
Taylor revealed that Sam Stubbs and Randell Williams are ‘back out on the
grass now’ and closing in on a return, but one big positive is that striker Ryan Bowman is back in contention after serving a three-match suspension for his red card in the 1-1 draw at Newport County.
“It’s good to have another fit and able body,” Taylor said. “It sounds strange but, in terms of the loads the other lads have been putting in and Ryan’s suspension, backed up with Tom Parkes’ suspension and the players that are missing through injury, it’s good to have that physical presence.
“He is a player with League Two know-how, a player that has served us well in his time at the club and a player that was in good goalscoring form.
“He will be chomping at the bit to get going this weekend.”
City accepting a bid for the 29-yearold Bowman during the January transfer window, however, he ended up staying after the Grecians were unable to find a replacement of their own before the deadline passed.
“It remains to be seen what the future holds, but Ryan remains focused on the job in hand,” Taylor said. “His job is to score goals for Exeter City and win games of football for us, and keep doing what he’s been doing so far this season, which is providing a base or a platform for the rest of the players to play off.
“Ben Seymour’s performances have been a real positive, especially his goal at Colchester and the win we got there, but you always want your best players available and it gives you more to choose from as a manager.”