Harvey Knibbs to miss Cambridge United’s home clash with Exeter City in Sky Bet League Two
Harvey Knibbs has been ruled out of Cambridge United’s match against Exeter City in Sky Bet League Two this Saturday (April 10).
The striker has been struggling in recent weeks with a knee problem, and missed the matches against Morecambe and Tranmere Rovers over the Easter weekend.
It means that Knibbs has been stood down from training this week.
“Knibbsy is struggling,” said United head coach Mark Bonner.
“His knee has flared up from last week which is why he wasn’t involved on Monday, and that will keep him out this weekend.
“We will just see how that settles in the next week or so. Fingers crossed, we could have him available for the following game, but he has taken the load off that at the moment and hopefully that settles down.
“It’s just a small issue in his knee that we need to get to the bottom of, and hopefully a period of rehab and a bit of time off the grass will help that.”
Aji Alese is also unlikely to be involved against Exeter City.
The on-loan West Ham defender rolled his ankle in training prior to the Tranmere game, so has gone back to his parent club for treatment but it is hoped he will be back with the U’s next week.
“It’s not a bad one so we’re hoping that settles down quite quickly,” said Bonner.
“He went over on his ankle and that blew up a little bit as the session went on.
“He was unavailable to travel with us, and he is back with them for a few days to see how that settles.”
Along with goalkeeper Dimi Mitov, the other absentee is Leon Davies, who will have surgery on his hip in the middle of April.
Bonner said: “He is just in the process of keeping himself strong and building up the strength around his body and the areas around his hips just so post-operation it hopefully aids his recovery.”
Meanwhile, the U’s are continuing to arrange behind-closed-doors friendlies to make sure some of their younger players continue to have matches.
Their opportunities to go out on loan have been severely hampered since December, so the U’s have pencilled in a game a week between now and the end of the season.
“It’s a game for a lot of the younger professionals that haven’t been able to go out on loan and some of the scholars who are doing well,” said Bonner.
“Their league programme has changed a little bit in the second half of the season. There are very few games we’ve had for the additional ones closer to the first team.
“They haven’t played in so many and it’s unlikely that they will between now and the end of the season with the run-in that we’ve got and the couple of knocks we’ve got.
“There are a few games lined up for the likes of Ben Worman, Joe Neal and those types of boys.”
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