Southend United midfielder Mark Bentley will not figure against his former side Dagenham and Redbridge tomorrow as the Shrimpers continue their pre-season preparations at Victoria Road.

The hard-working 26-year-old, who joined Blues from Daggers in January, is still sidelined with the ankle injury sustained at East Thurrock United and admitted he was disappointed to be missing out again this weekend.

"It's very frustrating," he said. "This is an important time of year - I worked hard in training and then went off injured after playing just ten minutes in our first game.

"It's disappointing but hopefully I'll be able to get a game in before the start of the season and be ready for the match with Cheltenham."

Bentley's latest visit to the treatment table has been caused by a late challenge on the same area he injured towards the end of the previous campaign.

"I made a cross at East Thurrock and, at the same time, their defender put his whole weight on my ankle," he said.

"It was the same ankle I injured against Torquay on the last game of last season so it's something of an old injury really.

"I've been told I could be out for anything between ten days to four weeks but I've been in with our physio John Stannard -- we're trying to strengthen it up and we're making good progress."

But, despite the promising recovery, tomorrow's clash with the Conference club has come too soon for the Hertford-born battler who made 27 appearances during a short seven month stint with Dagenham.

Published Friday July 23, 2004

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