JACOB Rowe hopes his knee problem will not force him to miss too many of Worcester City’s opening games in Blue Square Bet North.

The centre-half, last season’s young player-of-the-year, has seen his pre-season disrupted by a recurrence of tendonitis that he first suffered while on the books at Birmingham City.

He won’t play in today’s final warm-up game at Leamington (3pm) and is also expected to sit out the league curtain-raiser at Bradford Park Avenue next Saturday and the first home match against Bishop’s Stortford the following Monday.

But, having seen a specialist to treat the injury, he thinks the game against Corby Town at St George’s Lane on Saturday, August 25, is a realistic possibility.

Rowe said: “I had a steroid injection in my knee so I have got to rest up over the weekend and then I will be able to start training. I could be struggling for the start of the season.

“I have got a rehab programme so things are heading in the right direction.”

The 21-year-old is one of a host of central defensive options at manager Carl Heeley’s disposal as City seek to improve on last season’s seventh-placed finish.

Stuart Whitehead and Rob Elvins were the preferred partnership in the 3-2 friendly defeat against Shrewsbury Town last Friday, while Lee Ayres is also available.

Shabir Khan is another who can fill in although the player making a welcome comeback following two years out injured is primarily a left-back.

Rowe, who made 33 starts last season, added: “It’s been infuriating in pre-season not playing as much as I would have liked but I know what the problem is and have taken the appropriate action.”

Around 60 youngsters took to the Lane to beat a City XI 5-1 on Thursday as part of a promotional evening at the club.

The children lined up for a 10-minutes-each-way game against a team including Danny Glover, Greg Mills, Charlie Reece and management team Heeley and Matt Gardiner.

It is the second time Worcester have held the event as they bid to attract more fans.

City’s development squad won 2-1 at Cheltenham Saracens with goals from Barrie Healey and Arthur Sawicki.

Any under 21s interested in joining the set-up, who train at the University of Worcester, can contact Simon Wellham on 07778-003284.