While Western NSW FC's first grade only just lost its trial match against Wagga City Wanderers on Sunday, there's a much bigger loss for the side after Jaiden Culbert picked up a suspected ACL injury.
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Western coach Mark Rooke confirmed Culbert picked up the knee injury in his side's 2-1 loss and he will likely miss the upcoming 2020 NSW NPL4 season.
"We were a bit down after Jaiden's injury, but we'll be right. We'll get there," Rooke said.
In terms of the match, Rooke said Western created plenty of chances and should've won the game.
"There were some good things to come out of it. There were a lot of minutes in the legs and we created plenty of chances, but we should've won that match on the back of those chances," he said.
"It was just one of those days. We couldn't find the back of the net and we conceded two soft goals.
"However, I'm not too concerned about trial matches as much. It's all about getting minutes in the legs."
We were a bit down after Jaiden's injury, but we'll be right. We'll get there.
- Mark Rooke
While the Western first grade side lost, the under 18s and 20s won their respective match.
"It was a difficult weekend because we a bit short on players but we won 18s and 20s but lost first grade."
Numbers have been an issue across the board for Western during the build-up to the new season, with juniors girls being given a special exemption to register more players.
Western have the last trial match this Sunday against Lithgow Workmen's Club, before the season proper gets under away on March 7 against Parramatta FC at Marjorie Jackson Oval.
This is Western's first season in NPL4, after being one of five teams relegated from NPL3 at the end of the 2019 season.
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