Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Pugh hoping to join quest for third round
CROCKED Cherries star Marc Pugh may have received an unexpected boost in his bid to exorcise the ghost of a personal FA Cup nightmare.[LNB] Pugh was set to miss Cherries' second round clash at Notts County on Saturday after sustaining a nasty leg injury during their 2-2 draw at Orient.[LNB] But the postponement of the tie has given the 23-year-old extra time to recover ahead of the rescheduled meeting at Meadow Lane a week tomorrow.[LNB] And joining Cherries' bid to reach the third round, and a clash at Premier League Sunderland, would help Pugh erase the memory of unwittingly making FA Cup history with Bury in a second round replay in 2006.[LNB] Pugh starred as the Shakers beat Chester, only for the Gigg Lane outfit to become the first professional club to be thrown out of competition for fielding an ineligible player on loan Hartlepool midfielder Stephen Turnbull.[LNB] It was a strange experience, to say the least, said Daily Echo columnist Pugh. I had a decent game and we were buzzing after reaching the third round. We were due to play Ipswich in the next round and then found out we had been thrown out. Everybody was gutted.[LNB] Pugh added: I was at home on Saturday and was disappointed for everybody when the game was called off. It's a long trip for the supporters and the lads had prepared hard all week for the game. But, judging by the pictures on the website, it was the correct decision. The health and safety of the players is the most important aspect and the lads said the pitch was frozen.[LNB] On a personal note, it was good for me because I might have a chance of being in contention to play in the rearranged game.[LNB] Pugh has been recuperating after suffering a deep gash to his left leg when he fell on an exposed metal plate by the side of the pitch at Brisbane Road. The free-scoring winger is hoping to return to training towards the end of this week.[LNB] He said: The first couple of days were agony and I couldn't sleep.[LNB] I went to retrieve the ball and fell about a metre off the pitch after losing my footing. I caught the edge of the plate and it sliced a five to six-inch gash across my leg. It opened up and I needed 11 stitches and two butterfly stitches.[LNB] Initially, I thought I had just bruised it. It was a setback but something that will only make me stronger. I've been resting and been bored out of my brains![LNB] I'm hoping to have the stitches out this week then I will have to see how it settles. I'm hoping to be fit in a week or so but you can never tell with this type of injury. I'm just praying it will be as soon as possible.[LNB] ¢ See today's Echo for Marc Pugh's diary.[LNB]
