MANAGER Dave Cooper is urging league bosses to be lenient on his injury-hit AFC Ludlow side.

Cooper hopes the Mercian League don’t deduct points after Ludlow couldn’t raise a side for Saturday’s Premier Division home clash with Allscott.

Spokesman Phil Davies said the Mercian League have now asked AFC Ludlow for a written explanation.

“We could not raise a side,” conceded Ludlow manager Cooper. “We have 10 players out injured at the moment.

“After Wednesday’s defeat against Church Stretton, we had Alan Williams, Simon Bull and Jamie Marsh all injured and Richard Wozencroft also pulled up.

“As soon as we lost them, I rang Mike Seaborne because I knew we were going to struggle. I knew there was no way we were going to get a side for the Saturday.

“I have read internet rumours saying that we called off the game because we had players going to the V Festival but that’s not true.

“We only had one player - Jake Pryce - going to it and he was out injured anyway.

“I am just hoping that we don’t lose points from Saturday but I expect we’ll get a fine.

“We haven’t got a reserve side now so all our reserve players have gone to other clubs. I’ve never known anything like it with so many players being injured.”

Cooper is confident that Ludlow can raise a side for this Saturday’s trip to Wellington Amateurs Reserves.

“We have got to put a side out - that’s vital,” said Cooper. “We will be having a training session on Thursday night.

“We’ll see where we go from there. The good news is that Rob Vass says his groin injury is feeling better.

“I hope that the league shows some leniency towards us.”

League spokesman Davies said other clubs in the top flight had also been hit by a shortage of players.

“We had three games called off in the Premier Division on Saturday and Meole Brace only had eight players,” said Davies.

He added: “At this stage, we have requested, and are awaiting a written explanation from AFC Ludlow about what happened at the weekend.”