CALVIN Brooks has called for the Terras to step up and show how good they are in light of their injury list, as Weymouth prepare to travel to the Met Police in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South today (3pm).
The Terras currently have seven players out, but Brooks praised the squad, highlighting its size for the league they are in.
The defender, when asked about the team’s injuries, said: “We have had some big injuries to key players like Warren Bentley and Josh McQuoid, people like that and a few that are out at the moment. It is just a case of next man up, we have got quite a big squad, especially for this league.
“It is just a case of those players that were getting frustrated before that they were not getting their games, they are going to get their time now to shine and it is up to them to grab that opportunity.
“We have got a good squad and it is time for everyone to step up and prove how good they are.”
McQuoid (knee) and Bentley (concussion) are both long-term absences on the sidelines for the Terras, while recent weeks have seen Tiago Sa, Ben Thomson, Jordan Ngalo, Harry Baker and Sam Sherring join them.
Thomson will be assessed ahead of today, but is 50/50, Sa will be out, while Sherring has started training but the Met Police will potentially come too soon for him. Baker is also a doubt for today with a back injury, while Ngalo is definitely out due to a pulled hamstring.
When asked about the mood in the camp, Brooks praised the squad for being good at putting results behind them.
Brooks said: “It is always a good mood, I think it is one thing we are quite good at, when we have a disappointing result we are quite good at shrugging that off and having a good week in training.
“We have gone back to basics, done a few things that we have stopped doing so much in recent weeks and everyone is really looking forward to the Met Police. It is another big game, we tend to come out and play our best in these big games so I am looking forward to it.”
Brooks continued the Terras’ run of scoring in every league match so far this season with a late strike in the 2-1 defeat at Basingstoke, but admitted the goal does not matter too much.
Reflecting on the match, Brooks said: “It was a difficult one really, I was pleased to get another goal but it does not matter too much in the end.
“It was a bit of a consolation. To be honest it is just an overriding sense of disappointment after the game, I think everyone felt that, from the players to the staff and all of the supporters.
“It is just disappointing to come off the back of two really good wins and then chuck another three points away.
“You have got to give Basingstoke credit, they are a good side, they are always a good side when we play them. It is quite shocking that they are down in the position they are (17th) to be honest with you.”
