Mackey's Season Is Over

Ben Mackey could be out for nearly three months after his broken leg was found to be worse than first thought.

The Corby Town striker suffered the injury just before half-time in their midweek defeat at Vauxhall Motors.

He was able to travel back after the game and that raised hopes that he might be out for only eight weeks.

But complications had subsequently arisen with the injury and the recovery period will now be longer.

"He's broken a bone but he also needs a pin in his ankle as well so the recovery time is going to take longer," said Steelmen boss Graham Drury.

"It means he is going to be in plaster for around six weeks and it will be eight to 10 weeks at the minimum before the lad can even think about returning to training, never mind playing again.

"That takes us into April when the season finishes so he is effectively out for the season."

Corby start life without their top scorer at Stafford Rangers tomorrow where Drury is looking for his team to regain some defensive strength and start keeping more clean sheets.

"We either keep a clean sheet or let in three - and the only clean sheet we have kept of late was at Worcester," he continued.

"So we have to start defending better and make sure we bounce back after losing at Vauxhall in the week."

Stafford should represent a good chance of that with Rangers currently second-bottom of the Blue Square Bet North

But with confidence fragile in the Steelmen camp, Drury is taking nothing for granted.

"There are no easy away games in this league and they have won recently so they will be feeling more positive for this game and that makes it hard for us," he said.

With just 14 of the 16 who went to Vauxhall available tomorrow, an already thin squad is now in danger of being stretched to breaking point.

As a result, Drury has recalled Liam Ruddick and Andy White from loan spells in order to boost numbers.