Injury curse wipes out Wolves Sporting defence
Wolverhampton Sporting Community will be without Jak Barnes for the foreseeable future after he became the club’s latest centre-back to be struck down by serious injury.
Barnes was treated by paramedics at pitchside after dislocating his kneecap during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Malvern Town.
The injury continued a rotten run of luck for the club’s defenders. Barnes had been drafted in to replace Ben Perks and Giles Harvey after both suffered ankle injuries in recent weeks, writes Matt Maher.
With Mitch Clark also missing, midfield duo Angelo Francis and Jack Arrowsmith finished Saturday’s game in central defence as West Midlands Premier leaders Sporting slipped to only their second defeat of the season.
Boss Andy Paddock said: “Our centre-backs seem to be having no luck at all. Jak only came in due to Ben and Giles being injured.
“He will be having further tests at hospital and we should have a better idea of how things stand in the coming days. We are hoping he has not sustained any ligament damage.
“I have to say the officials and everyone at Malvern were brilliant with how they handled it. I don’t want to make excuses but the injury did affect our players.”
Wednesfield boss Dean Gill was left “gutted” after watching his team concede a last-gasp equaliser to draw 2-2 at home to Ellesmere Rangers.
Two goals from Adam Skeldon looked to have sealed victory for the hosts, who remain eighth in the table.
“We were by far the better team and should have won the game comfortably,” said Gill. “We missed chance after chance and simply must do better in front of goal. To say I was not happy on Saturday night would be an understatement.
“That said, we have to be very pleased with how the season is going. If we finished in eighth it would be a great campaign.”
Tividale closed to within a point of Sporting thanks to a thumping 5-1 win over Bilston Town Community, while fourth-placed Black Country Rangers also won big by beating Bewdley Town 4-1.
Cradley Town are just one spot further back following a 5-0 win at AFC Bridgnorth, while Wolves Casuals recorded the biggest win of the weekend, firing nine without reply past Pegasus Juniors.
Daz Hand’s brace was not enough to earn Dudley Town the spoils as their derby with Dudley Sports ended in a 2-2 draw, Romano Graham and Josh Harris-James on target for Sports.
Team Dudley remain second in Division One after a 2-2 draw at Allscott. Gornal are fifth after a 3-0 win over Tipton Town.
