Boro boss hopes to see midfielder back before end of the season

GRAHAM Westley said he hopes midfielder Darren Murphy will be able to follow in the footsteps of teammate Lawrie Wilson and make a comeback from a horror injury to play a part in Boro’s season.

Murphy was injured making his comeback against Colchester United in the reserves last week after dislocating his shoulder in the Portsmouth Carling Cup defeat earlier in the season but will now be out for most, if not all, of the rest of the season after tests confirmed he had broken his leg.

The 25-year-old was admitted to hospital on Thursday evening to undergo surgery on a left lower shaft fibula fracture which physio Paul Dando likened to teammate Lawrie Wilson’s injury last season.

Speaking about Murphy’s injury after Stevenage’s game with Cheltenham Town on Saturday, Westley said: “It was a horrible tackle. The player should have been disappointed with himself.

“I don’t mean to say that reserve football should not be played competitively, because it should, but we shouldn’t see disrespectful challenges going in.

“Their manager apologised to me and I accept the apology but I’m sure that Murph, who is feeling the pain, might have wished I hadn’t.”

Wilson was out for eight months last season after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle against Rushden & Diamonds in August 2009 and only made his comeback with just seven games of last season remaining by coming off the bench against Luton Town in April.

He started the next game and scored a terrific volley at AFC Wimbledon and has also been back in the first team this season, although he was sent off for two yellow cards on Saturday.

Speaking about Murphy in relation to how Wilson recovered, Westley said: “He’s had an operation today. I’ve not had words from the hospital yet about how that went.

“He’s had an op, a bit like Lawrie really. It’s the same time of year that Lawrie went down last year and virtually the same injury as Lawrie last year.

“Lawrie got back towards the end of the season and made a contribution and hopefully Murph will too.”

Boro play host to league leaders Torquay United this Saturday with full-back Ronnie Henry in line to play his 250th game for the club.

The defender was signed by Westley in the manager’s first stint at the club in January 2005 from Dublin City and has played more times for Boro than anyone else currently on the club’s books.