Triple injury blow casts shadow over Castle's build-up to new campaign

NEWCASTLE Town have lost three players to injury and boss Neil Baker described it as “a massive blow.”

- Clive Youlton

Striker Tim Grice has a fractured tibia, while brothers Tom and Rob Thorley are also touch-and-go for the start of the new campaign.

The friendlies against Crewe, Port Vale and Macclesfield have been good workouts, but at a cost.

“We've lost three players - Tim Grice before the first game with a fractured tibia,” said Baker, right. “Then we lost our centre-half Tom Thorley, he went down against Port Vale, and we are still not sure about that. We will know more this week. He is awaiting a scan and we are pretty sure it won't be a short-term injury.

“We played Whitchurch on Monday night and I lost another centre-half, Tom's brother Rob, with a hamstring problem.

“And my right-back is struggling with a back problem so to say we are struggling with defenders is an understatement.”