Shaun's anger

9:14am Thursday 14th August 2008

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DORCHESTER Town are considering taking legal action over the tackle that has left Ivan Forbes sidelined for the remainder of the season.

A reckless challenge from Braintree's Billy Burgess put Forbes out of last Saturday's 1-0 win and effectively out for the rest of the campaign with knee ligament damage.

Magpies' boss Shaun Brooks confirmed the club's intent. He said: "It was a horrendous tackle and if we can we'll take legal action against it because the tackle has put Ivan out of football for a season.

"The perpetrator will continue his career but who they do the damage to will be out for a season with the extent of their injuries.

"Something needs to be done about some of the tackles at this level. Any legal action would made from the club, we're in talks with a solicitor and we will take his advice.

"What we need to do is see if there is a video of the game to have a look at it again and see what course of action we are going to take.

"But I saw the tackle clearly and it was horrendous. It warranted a booking but should have been a sending off. Tackles like that need to be stamped out of the game because they do what they are intended to, and that's to put a player out of the game.

"The referee to a degree should have acted more strongly. Ivan was a victim of a bad tackle and we'll see what we can do."

Forbes meanwhile, awaiting a scan on his injured knee, is remaining philosophical and will back whatever action the club wish to take.

He said: "It was shocking and it happened so quick that it's difficult to describe. If the club think legal action is the way to go then I'll be behind them.

"These things happen in football and you've got to pick yourself up.

"We've got a good enough squad to cover whoever's out injured."

With just Jamie Mudge and Ryan Moss left as attacking options, Brooks may be forced to find a replacement for his injured star.

He added: "It's made us a little bit short of attacking options and we'll have a look at it. But we have got to work within our budget as best we can, so it has given us a bit of a problem. Our main concern and sympathy is with Ivan."

The county town side have also seen summer trialist Bill Puckett suffer a long-term knee injury in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Portland United last month and Mark Jermyn sidelined for up to three months following a challenge with Portsmouth's Djimi Traore in a 1-1 draw.

Brooks added: "I thought Mark Jermyn's was a serious injury but then came Bill and Ivan, who have both got bad, season long injuries.

"Bill's ruptured his lateral cruciate and those are the worst kind of injuries you can get. We'll give them all the support we can.

"As a group it will make us stronger. The players have been speaking about what happened and we try to look after our own as best we can. When Ivan went off on Saturday we won the battle and came out on top."

Of team captain Roy O'Brien's ankle injury, which the defender sustained in Tuesday night's 0-0 draw with Basingstoke, Brooks said: "Roy will have an X-ray and hopefully it will just be a sprain. However, he's very doubtful for Saturday's game with St Albans."