Bampton targets his City comeback

10:20am Saturday 3rd January 2009

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DAVE Bampton has targeted next Saturday’s home cl-ash against Maidenhead United for his return from injury.

The Worcester City midfielder has ruled himself out of today’s trip to Hayes and Yeading United with an ankle injury sustained in the 1-1 draw against Bognor Regis Town.

Bampton has been unable to subject the injury to much work since the December 20 match and the Newport postponement meant he did not train on New Year’s Day.

The former Swindon player first damaged the ankle on the opening day of the season back in August and has aggravated it twice since, ironically every time against Bognor Regis.

Bampton said: “I am probably not going to be fit to play at Hayes because I have not been in to do any work on the injury because of the postponement.

“It’s the same ankle again, it doesn’t seem to be healing properly. It’s very frustrating, just as I thought I was getting a run of games under my belt. I just want to be playing football.

“Next Saturday will have been three weeks since the injury so that is definitely a target.”

The injury could not have come at a worse time for Bampton or City as manager Richard Dryden is struggling to name 16 fit players for matches.

Graham Ward, also one booking away from a one-match ban, sustained a hamstring injury against Newport and fellow defender Craig Brown is recovering from a fractured cheekbone. However, Bampton is focused on getting fit and helping City revive their fortunes in 2009.

He said: “We want to be at the right end of the table challenging, not drifting away picking up the odd point and hanging around in mid-table.

“We want to push on and finish as high as we can and if we can finish in the top-half or around the play-offs that would be a good season.”