IVYBRIDGE look set to be without Damon Akerman for a while after the winger damaged his knee against Newbury Blues last weekend.

It is feared the 20-year-old has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

“We are not quite sure the extent of it yet,” said Ivybridge coach Lewis Paterson. “I think he is waiting for a scan, but when the physios did their tests there was sign of ACL/MCL damage.

“The scan will tell how serious it is and where we go with Damon from there.

“But it is such a shame because he has been in good form. He is gutted.”

Ivybridge lost fellow back three player Tom Scoles at the end of October when he suffered a dislocated shoulder and also chipped a bone against Newton Abbot.

It was thought he would be out for the rest of the season, but he is now back in training, although Ivybridge do not want to rush him back.

“Tom Scoles is back training and is in a positive place,” said Paterson. “But we just want to make sure we don’t rush him. We don’t want to push him in early and then make it a career-ending injury.

“We just have to make sure we take it slowly with him, the same with Damon.

“We have got some really good young players coming through so we have still got good depth there.”