DAN Nlundulu requires surgery on a torn hamstring and could face a number of months on the side-lines at Wanderers.
The striker limped out of Tuesday night’s Bristol Street Motors Trophy win against Port Vale, after which scans have confirmed that he has suffered a “significant” tear to the muscle.
Evatt admitted it was a blow to lose the former Southampton man, who had played himself into some good goalscoring form of late.
“It isn’t good,” he said. “We are looking months rather than weeks and that’s a big disappointment for him and for us.
“The fact he has been in good form makes it even tougher to deal with for him, he had been getting to be the player I knew he could be.
“This is a family and when one of us hurts, we all hurt. We will help him through a tough time and he has taken it to heart.
“He is an emotional guy and we all think the world of him. We will rally around him and give him all the support he needs. I am sure he will be back stronger.”
Nlundulu was injured trying to turn the ball home after a re-taken penalty had been saved by Vale keeper Jayson Leutweiler – a cruel twist of fate for the 24-year-old.
“Football can be so strange,” he said. “If the first penalty had been allowed to count there would be no injury, or if he had scored the second there would be no injury. It is a difficult thing but it is part of the game.
“Dan has had a pretty emotional journey since he has been here but he was on a real high recently and we were starting to see the player he can be. But it isn’t the end, he has had a taste of what success is like and now it is down to him to get back to those levels.”
Leave a Reply