Reece Connolly is doubtful for Saturday
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Triple injury blow caps miserable week for Boro
By Jon CouchSeptember 13, 2012
A TRIPLE injury blow, bad luck on the pitch and the worst FA Cup draw possible – it's fair to say it's not been the best of weeks for Farnborough boss Spencer Day.
The Boro chief's horrors began with a frustrating 3-1 defeat at Boreham Wood on Saturday where, for 70 minutes, his men more than matched their high-flying hosts.
And it got even worse for Day in the treatment room afterwards when left-back Olly Treacher, front man Phil Page and striker Reece Connolly, just 48 hours after re-joining from Aldershot on a month's loan, were ruled out through injury.
Still, a cosy FA Cup draw and a safe, money-spinning passage into the third qualifying round was bound to lift the spirits? But, no, Boro were handed arguably the toughest tie possible against big-spending title favourites Eastleigh at Cherrywood Road next Saturday.
“It’s fair to say it’s not been the best of weeks,” Day surmised. “I knew we had a difficult month ahead but now it's got even tougher. But we were underdogs last season and pulled through so we know we've got the character in the side to get through this. I suppose it’s the Farnborough way.”
Day pinpoints a horror five-minute spell just prior to Boreham Wood taking a 2-1 lead at Meadow Park on Saturday, as the key period leading to Boro's downfall.
Page was the first pin to drop, going down under a challenge to add to his long list of various knocks sustained in recent weeks and he may now be forced to sit out Saturday's visit of Welling United
Next to go was Connolly, who, just 70 minutes into his first game back in a Farnborough shirt, suffered a leg injury and is now being assessed by the medical team back at Aldershot.
As Connolly, last season's top scorer with 16 goals, is not registered to play in the FA Cup, Day is hoping that this will not be his last appearance in a Farnborough shirt, although he is extremely doubtful to play this weekend.
Fine individual goal
Worst of the lot, however, saw Treacher aggravate the leg injury he sustained towards the end of last season, and he may now be facing a month on the sidelines.
Indeed, Day is in advanced discussions with a Football League club to sign a full-back on a short-term loan and the Boro boss is hopeful of concluding that deal in time for the Welling game.
With Boro’s walking wounded struggling to cling onto their share of the spoils, it was no surprise to see Wood wrap up victory courtesy of Omer Riza’s second goal of the afternoon from the penalty spot with 11 minutes to go and a Graeme Montgomery strike three minutes later.
Dan Bennett had earlier brought Boro level with a fine individual goal, running half the length of the pitch to cancel out Riza's 19th-minute opener, but the leg-weary visitors just couldn't hang on.
“For 70-75 minutes we were more than in the game and deserved, if anything, to be in front. But the three injuries in quick succession killed us and the difference in the strength in depth between the two sides became evident.
“Boreham Wood were clinical at both ends, but we gave a good account of ourselves I thought.”
BORO: Bradshaw, Smith, Treacher (Huggins 76), Bosch, Inns, Moody, Bennett, Laidler, Connolly (Clarke 74), Ciardini, Page (Tarpey 61). Subs: Day, Norris.
* Meanwhile, a takeover bid described as “totally and utterly unacceptable” has been laughed off the table by Boro's reluctant owner Spencer Day.
The bid follows eight weeks of intense discussions with a well-known businessman but was immediately rejected by the Boro board.
But Day has, however, revealed that talks are now on-going with a new consortium, who are currently carrying out due diligence on the Cherrywood Road club.
“We received an offer for the club this week which was totally and utterly unacceptable, not even close to what we feel the club deserves, and I’m personally very disappointed,” Day said.
“Farnborough FC is a fantastic opportunity for someone but we are not interested in anyone who is not willing to push the club forward with hard cash and develop the community side of the club which already exists.”
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