Battling Moles to dig deep for Tyler

By Matthew Nash

 

BITTER BLOW: Binfield hitman Tyler D’Cruz suffered a horrific head injury when colliding into a pitchside barrier

PICTURES: Robert Mack

REALISTIC: Boss Ross Weatherstone

ROSS WEATHERSTONE says Binfield’s bid to pull off the great escape in Pitching In Isthmian South Central has been sparked by a horrific head injury sustained by striker Tyler D’Cruz last month.

The forward, whose goal proved to be the winner, collided head-first with a pitchside barrier during the Moles’ 2-1 win at Met Police – the first league win of the season for the division’s bottom club.

Medical staff and club officials from both teams worked together to save D’Cruz’s life after he was knocked unconscious, regained consciousness for a while and then suffered seizures in the changing room at Imber Court.

The 25-year-old was able to attend the following weekend’s 1-0 win over high-flying Southall, Binfield’s first home three points of the campaign. boss Weatherstone believes his presence alone gave the team “an extra ten per cent”.

“It has galvanised the club. That’s the real story. It’s bigger than a relegation battle. Tyler is recovering, I’m pleased to say, but that feels like it has been a pivotal moment for us,” said the former Oxford United and Boston United defender.

“I said to the guys at the Southall game: ‘If this can’t motivate you…’. This puts everything else into perspective. Everyone in that team saw Tyler’s eyes roll into the back of his head and that is something I’ve never, ever witnessed.”

The Moles have given themselves a fighting chance of staying up ahead of a clash with second-bottom Corinthian Casuals on Saturday which could prove key to their survival chances.

Emotion

Victory could even move Weatherstone’s men off the foot of the table after a campaign which has seen them lose 9-0 to leaders Chertsey, 8-0 at Southall and 8-1 at Marlow.

Weatherstone, appointed in December, added: “Of course, it’s a match I’m looking forward to and one we definitely want to win but I don’t think that alone will be the game that keeps us up or sends us down.

“As a player, I loved a challenge and that’s what this is. When the chairman (Andy Cotton) called me, it was something I couldn’t turn down but when I walked into the club it was fragile and there was a lot of scar tissue.”

Weatherstone admits just getting victories on the board has sparked emotion at Hill Farm Lane and that he has been given a target for the rest of the season.

“The chairman has made it clear to me he wants us to stay in the division but I have told him we need to be realistic. When I walked in, we had four points and no wins,” said the ex-Hartley Wintney manager.

“Binfield’s a club with some great people involved in it and it has been nice to put smiles on some faces.”