Injuries pile up for Philliskirk

ATHLETIC’S youth team suffered more injury problems in the 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley.

Top scorer Ryan Brooke and triallist Greg Kidd both limped out of the North-West Conference fixture in the Puma Youth Alliance.

Brooke, who sustained a calf strain in the first half, joins fellow frontmen Tom Eaves and Djeny Bembo-Lita on the sidelines.

Seven of Athletic’s 16 scholars are injured, including all the strikers, and of the remaining nine players two are goalkeepers.

Coach Tony Philliskirk believes Athletic, who again had to field schoolboys and triallists, would have won but for Brooke’s injury.

Athletic took the lead midway through the second half when Philip McGrath’s cross was converted by Will McCall.

But they were pegged back in the 80th minute when Stanley scored with a header from a free-kick.