Hughes out and Mattis could follow
Thursday 28th January 2010, 11:24AM GMT.
Walsall captain Mark Hughes has been ruled out of the trip to Gillingham with midfielder Dwayne Mattis also battling to be fit.
The skipper missed Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Norwich with a twisted ankle but has now been laid low with a virus, which has prevented him from training this week.
Boss Chris Hutchings has confirmed the centre-back will miss Saturday’s game at the League One strugglers.
He said:“I would imagine he would be out if I’m honest. Hughesy has had a virus and been quite poorly. His ankle is coming along but we’ve been trying to keep him away as much as possible, so the virus doesn’t spread around the rest of us.
“We’re not going to risk the other lads getting the virus. The back four did well on Tuesday but it’s difficult for him because we need to make sure he is right.
“Mark needs to play, train and get games in.”
Mattis is a doubt after limping out against the Canaries with a calf injury, but Hutchings will give him every chance to prove his fitness.
The manager said: “Dwayne had treatment yesterday, so was doing heel raises and steady jogging. Jon Whitney the physio is going to assess him today in preparation for Saturday.
“If he doesn’t have to train we’re not too worried because he’s a fit lad, but we don’t want to take any chances.”
Nine-goal top scorer Steve Jones is already sidelined with his on-going groin injury and Hutchings reiterated the Saddlers will treat him with kid gloves in a bid to nurse him back from a seven week absence.
He said: “Steve is day-by-day, he did some strengthening work yesterday and we’re juggling balls with him. It’s a matter of pushing it as far as we can without knocking it back.
“How far that is seems to change all the time.”
UK Sport
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