‘Keeper Aidan Smith will miss the rest of the Ammers’ season, needing surgery on a hip injury, whilst fellow stopper Luke Mitchell has recovered from a hamstring strain in time for Wednesday’s visit from Golcar United in the NCEL Premier.
[Photo by Brogan Atack]
A Consultant Othapaedic Surgeon’s assessment revealed an impingement on the femur head, causing a tear in the Labrum in Smith’s hip, requiring surgery to remove excess bone and repair the tear.
There’s added concern of a stress fracture in the femur, following consultation, but is yet to be confirmed.
Surgery is hoped to come prior to Christmas, followed by four weeks on crutches, 12 weeks rehab and then sports-specific rehab leading to being able to play matches again. Smith had completed the 90 minutes against Barton Town before a sustained absence ever since.
Despite this, Smith, who is currently studying with i2i Soccer Academy in York, remains positive.
“Studying is going well and I’m allowed to swim and do light biking for cardio,” began Smith.
“The main positive is i’m allowed to do upper body at the gym so I’ve just been smashing that so I have something to focus on – a purpose.
“Now I know that [the injury], I am moving forwards towards coming back”.
Mitchell has declared himself available for selection for Wednesday’s fixture, returning to training with ‘keeper coach Tom Shepherd last week after recovering from a hamstring injury.
“Monday he looked tense, holding his hamstring” began Shepherd, “Thursday he looked comfortable”.
“I’d seen he’d been in the gym so I reached out to ask if he was fit.
“He [Mitchell] then got in touch with me and said ‘the only way I’m going to find out if I’m fit is getting back on the grass,’ so we started training.
“Moving around, getting down, getting high, weren’t an issue. It was mainly ball striking.
“We did some work on fitness, changes of direction, positioning, but the concern was striking the ball, so we spent an hour just blasting balls – he’s looking sharp”.
“He’s completed his required running, also”.
Mitchell replaced Smith in goal by the time of the North Ferriby trip, Jamie Cosway introduced in goal for the single fixture in-between, but Mitchell was injured part-way through the following trip to Campion.
Fabio Intumbo returned in goal for The Ammers’ latest fixture, the trip to Handsworth, following Harold Edjangue’s grasp on the number one jersey against Wakefield, previously.
Mitchell’s first match back fit could be in familiar surroundings at The Southerns Stadium on Wednesday, hosting Golcar United in the NCEL Premier, if selected.
Tickets for Golcar United: Adults – £6, Concessions – £4.50, U16s – £2.50.