Stevenage nursing injury-hit squad ahead of Carabao Cup clash with Southend

Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2019 by PA

Stevenage boss Dino Maamria will be hoping for some good news on the injury front soon as his side attempt to put a disappointing start to the season behind them against Southend in the Carabao Cup.

Ben Nugent, Tyler Denton, Joel Byrom and Paul Digby all missed Boro’s League Two defeats to Salford and Exeter and it remains to be seen when they will be available again.

However, Maamria was able to name Dean Parrett and Jamie Fielding on the bench against the Grecians after both suffered injuries against Salford, and they could be involved against Southend.

Kurtis Guthrie, who lost his starting spot at the weekend, will be hoping to force his way back in while fellow forward Jason Cowley is also an option up front.

Southend are waiting on the fitness of Brandon Goodship and Stephen McLaughlin as they too look to the cup to get their season up and running.

Striker Goodship suffered a hip injury last Thursday which forced him out of Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to Blackpool.

Winger McLaughlin also sat out that game having only just returned to training after limping out of the opening-day defeat at Coventry.

Rob Kiernan (ankle), Jason Demetriou (knee) and Sam Barratt (knee) have yet to feature this season due to injury while veteran winger Michael Kightly announced his retirement from football on Monday.