Nombe back but Exeter do not want to rush him
Grecians’ main man returns to training after a month out with hamstring issue
TOMORROW’S clash with Rochdale may come just too soon for Exeter City striker Sam Nombe, even though the Grecians’ main striker is back in full training.
The former MK Dons striker suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the Grecians’ goalless draw with Salford City on March 12, but he is back and available for the season’s finale where City have so much to gain.
However, with on-loan Barrow striker Offrande Zanzala ineligible for Tuesday’s home clash against his parent club, Nombe is likely to be held back for that game as the Grecians go in search of the six points they need from their four remaining games to see them promoted to League One.
“After every game there are knocks and niggles and you are looking after them, so there are one or two players having bits and pieces done,” boss Matt Taylor said at yesterday’s press call.
“There is one player that’s had an injection at the start of the week to settle down an injury, so there are players with niggles that we are trying to get through the rest of the season.
“The squad is in a relatively strong position and Harry Kite and Sam Nombe have been with the group today and that is the first day they have been with the group, so Saturday might come too soon for them, depending on the situation. Tuesday might be more realistic for the pair of them, or the following weekend. But it’s good to have players back out on the training pitch.”
The news surrounding homegrown defender Alex Hartridge was not so good, though. The 23-year-old has been outstanding in recent weeks, but he went off injured when chasing a ball in the Good Friday win over Colchester United.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t have good news with Alex Hartridge’s scan results,” Taylor said. “He’s had a serious tear of that hamstring and that rules him out for the foreseeable future, certainly until the end of the structured season and then it’d be a race against time to be fit for the play-offs.
“It’s a real shame for Alex because he has been outstanding in the past few months but, as I always say, that is an opportunity for the rest of the group and it’s good to have Groundsy to give us cover on that side.”
The experienced Jonathan Grounds could be preferred over youngster Cheick Diabate for the clash with Rochdale as he offers a wise head as well as natural balance on that left-hand side of a three-man defence, or Taylor may decide to play with a back four.
The Grecians could be promoted tomorrow if they win and Northampton Town (away to Leyton Orient), Bristol Rovers (home to Forest Green Rovers) and Sutton United (away to Barrow) all lose, but events elsewhere are from from Taylor’s thoughts right now.
“We have to take care of ourselves,” Taylor said. “We will assess what happens elsewhere as time goes on, certainly at the final whistle and after the game and then we will look to Tuesday but, regardless of the result, our biggest priority is whatever is next and at the moment, that is Rochdale.
“As soon as that is done, we have to rest and recover, but we don’t expect anything to be done this weekend. We probably don’t expect anything to be done until the last game of the season because that’s the way the season’s gone and how tight the league is. We are just preparing for what’s next and first and foremost, we want to start the game well on Saturday.”