Brown won't risk players after Nelson blow

Terry Brown won't risk a number of players at Dover on Saturday who are carrying knocks as he waits on news of injured defender Mitchell Nelson.

Nelson was carried off in Margate’s 3-0 pre-season friendly win over AFC Wimbledon at Hartsdown Park on Saturday. He faces a scan on his injured knee after lasting only 22 minutes against Brown’s former club and could face a long lay-off with ligament damage.

Sam Rents also picked up an injury in the victory and joins Zac Atwood, Luke Williams, John Beales and Ryan Moss who are all having treatment.

Brown, pictured, wants an injury free squad for their opening day fixture on Saturday 9 August and told Andrew Gildley at www.kentonline.co.uk on Wednesday that none of them will be risked.

He said: "We have got injuries, right, left and centre and my biggest concern is having my strongest team available for the opening day of the season on August 9.

"Mitchell went to A&E and while everything is still in place, there is a lot of damage. We definitely heard something crack. The knee is still massive and swollen and they couldn’t take a scan on it. He is now booked in next Monday and has just got to rest.

"Mitchell is our first choice right-back and it is a blow. If it turns out to be cruciate ligament damage, he could be out for a year, and means we would have to look at strengthening."