'Car crash' season continues at Moneyfields with top scorer Ryan Pennery facing long injury lay-off

The former Gosport and Baffins Milton Rovers is facing up to 10 months on the sidelines after rupturing his cruciate ligament and ACL in the Moneys’ Southern League division one south 0-0 draw with Bideford on Saturday.

Pennery went in for a block tackle during the clash and a knee specialist confirmed his worst fears last night.

It adds to a long list of injuries and issues Carter has faced at the club this season.

Duncan Culley, Scott Donnelly and Connor York have all left Moneyfields having been part of the pre-season squad.

Meanwhile, Pennery has now joined goalkeeper Jake Hallett on the sidelines.

And Carter has been left gutted by the ‘massive blow’ of losing his nine-goal leading scorer.

‘It’s been a car crash of a season with injuries and everything,’ admitted Carter.

‘If you go back as far as pre-season, we signed Duncan Culley who ruptured his ankle.

‘Duncan decided to quit football after that.

‘We had Scott Donnelly who had a lot of family issues so he left the club in pre-season as well.

‘We had Connor York who had a serious shoulder injury and he was out for eight weeks.

‘He’s now left and gone to AFC Totton.

‘Our goalkeeper Jake Hallett had hernia and a tear in his groin, he’s been out for the past eight weeks.

‘Ryan Pennery has now done his ACL.

‘Ryan saw a knee specialist last night and he’s going for a scan on Wednesday.

‘It’s not 100 per cent certain yet, but it’s more than likely he’s done his cruciate ligament and his ACL, maybe his medial as well.

‘He’s out for the rest of the season, you’re looking at 8-10 months really.’

Carter admitted he was ‘devasted’ when he received the call from Pennery with news of his injury.

But he is backing the ‘confident’ forward to return from his knee setback.

‘You just don’t know with your knees, it’s how you recover and how your body recovers,’ added Carter.

‘The way Ryan is, he’s a confident lad who wants to play football.

‘I’m sure he’s going to work as hard as he can to get back.

‘Ryan’s injury has put us back in a predicament because there’s not a lot out there that’s going to be as good as those three (Ryan, Rudi Plummer and Steve Hutchings) who are willing to move or step up to the plate of Southern League football.

‘It’s going to be one we’ll take on the chin and see what happens.’