NEWMARKET Town manager Kevin Grainger pinpoints his team’s “horrendous” catalogue of injuries for their plummet down the Ridgeon League Premier Division table.

The Jockeys, who have just seven matches to play, are in danger of getting sucked into a relegation battle if they fail to halt their spectacular slide in the second half of the season.

Newmarket have won just one of their last 12 games – and that against Wivenhoe whose own record is even more alarming – following Tuesday night’s 2-0 home defeat against Felixstowe & Walton United.

Grainger said: “We were in eighth place - two points ahead of Mildenhall - at Christmas!

“But we have had an horrendous number of injuries this season - I don’t believe any other team has had injuries like we have had to contend with. We have 10 out of 20 players out at one time.”

Grainger pinpointed the loss of James Attwood, who was signed from Walsham-le-Willows, and Jordan Brockett as instrumental in the Jockeys’ downturn in fortunes.

“We have lost two wide players - not only have we lost the width they gave us but also the supply that came with it,” he lamented.

Felixstowe’s win was especially disappointing so far as Grainger was concerned.

“We went to Dereham and drew 0-0 with a severely weakened side and although we lost at Leiston we also put in a good performance with several youngsters in the team.

Grainger, who said he has never been able to field the same side twice this season, continued: “We had four players out against Felixstowe, which wasn’t too bad, but we lost one of our centre backs (Steffan Dancy) almost straightaway.

“It was disappointing because we conceded an early goal, but then defended well up until the final ten minutes, although we didn’t provide any service to our front players, which made life hard for them.”