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Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders working hard to add to squad as injuries take hold

Jay Saunders says he’s never known injuries like it as he tries to add to his Tonbridge squad.

The Angels boss was down to 10 players this week as the club’s injury problems deepen.

Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders Picture: David Couldridge
Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders Picture: David Couldridge

He’s been chasing reinforcements for Saturday’s National South home game against Dulwich Hamlet as Tonbridge look to end a run of three defeats.

Midfielder Doug Loft is out for at least six months after rupturing his Achilles, with Tom Parkinson set for a couple of months out with an ankle injury.

James Taylor (knee) joined them on the sidelines after going off at Dover a fortnight ago and the injuries haven’t relented.

Jeremy Santos suffered concussion in his first start since joining on loan from Charlton as Angels lost 2-1 at home to St Albans on Monday, while fellow Addicks loanee Dylan Gavin suffered an ankle injury and was set for a scan.

Tushaun Walters, who’s on loan from Maidstone, has a calf problem and Joe Tyrie, who Saunders recalled from dual-registration at Corinthian, is struggling with his ankle.

On top of that, midfielder Tommie Fagg starts a three-match ban after being sent off - harshly - in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Braintree.

“I’ve never known anything like it,” said Saunders.

“I’m trying to get players in, I’ve got to do something. The club have been great.

“I don’t really want to get too many loans in, we’ve got a few already, I’d like to get more permanent if we can.

“It’s not an ideal situation but I don’t want to sign people for the sake of it.

“They’ve still got to be right for the club.

“It’s frustrating because I had what I thought would be my best team in my head and I haven’t been able to play it.

“We had a great start but since those first three games it’s been change after change after change.

“I think losing Doug Loft and Tom Parkinson are the two biggest misses, because of their experience, then we lost James Taylor and if you look it’s been a different midfield in every game.

“We brought Jeremy in from Charlton and he was on course to be man-of-the-match on Monday, he was outstanding for half an hour, then he gets clattered and we lose him to concussion.

“It’s been tough. Anyone will tell you that when you’ve got a settled side you build relationships on the pitch, so it’s not great when you’re changing three or four week in, week out, but we keep going.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down, stick together and make sure the ones we get in are right. We need some experience.

“I don’t want to make excuses because we’ve created enough chances to win the last two games.

“We had more than enough chances to put Braintree to bed and I thought after we equalised against St Albans we were going to get that first home win but it wasn’t to be.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to be better, we can’t keep giving silly goals away.”

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