Smalley hit by new setback

Deane Smalley: Spent four days in hospital after being taken ill.

DEANE SMALLEY’S amazing run of bad luck continues as the Athletic forward spent four days in hospital suffering from food poisoning.

It meant the 21-year-old was forced to miss an important meeting with a specialist to discuss a cure for a disc problem in his back.

Smalley, who has had a back complaint for some time, broke down days before the start of the season when it became impossible to play on.

Since then medics have been deliberating on a course of treatment, with surgery an option, though it is understood not to be a serious problem.

Smalley was also kept on the sidelines for a fortnight with a groin strain in pre-season and will be hoping there is now an end in sight to his injury troubles.

Midfield man Jon Worthington is also set to see a specialist this week for a precautionary check on the ankle injury which kept him out of Saturday’s game.

Worthington has taken three separate knocks in the space of a few weeks on the same ankle, the last one in the home defeat by Hartlepool, but manager Dave Penney does not believe it is serious.

Right-back Andy Holdsworth came off on Saturday after an hour after receiving a kick to his knee, though physio Marc Czuczman later confirmed it won’t keep him out.

There was further cheer for Athletic on Saturday with Chris Taylor making a successful return after a three-match lay-off due to a pelvic problem.

Taylor was substituted as a precaution after 82 minutes and later revealed he had come through his return unscathed.

Penney has again welcomed the fact there is no midweek match this week as it means extra time can be spent on the training ground as he bids for that elusive victory to lift Athletic out of the relegation places. They have won only one of their first seven league matches.