Reading has been hit with a huge injury blow on-loan striker Dom Ballard has been ruled out for the rest of the season, as reported by BBC Sport.
Ballard is on loan from Championship outfit Southampton and has managed three goals in his 10 League One appearances so far this season but a serious knee injury sustained in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Wycombe Wanderers has brought his campaign to a premature end. He has suffered a broken patella tendon which is likely to be a long-term injury.
The 18-year-old is on his first loan away from the Saints having scored once for his parent club on his debut in the Carabao Cup against Cambridge United after showing blistering form in the Under 23 and ‘B’ teams at St Mary’s. The injury will be a bitter blow for Ballard who has scored two goals in his last four for Reading and also helped himself to a hat-trick in England Under 19’s comprehensive 7-1 defeat of Mexico last week.
The Royals have not enjoyed the sort of season they would have been hoping for following last season’s relegation but have secured back-to-back League One wins after Saturday’s win at Wycombe and last night’s demolition of Carlisle United. Ballard’s injury will be a blow for manager Ruben Selles but he still has many striking options to choose from, with the likes of Sam Smith and Harvey Knibbs to choose from.
“It’s a massive loss for us because he’s a spectacular player and a very good boy,” Selles told the BBC. “His patella tendon has been broken – it’s a bad injury, it’s going to take a long time, we don’t know exactly how long but probably the rest of the season. We are working on it in collaboration with Southampton.”
The manager added, “Unluckily these things happen in football. We wish he will have a quick recovery and he will be back healthy and he can keep healthy for the next 15 years of his career that is going to be a really good career.”
Writer’s View
While Ballard has not completed 90 minutes for The Royals this season, he had been a useful option and seemed to be hitting some sort of form so this injury will be a blow to the League One outfit.
For the young striker, this will be devastating news to bring an end to his first loan away from the Saints and a chance at a consistent run at first-team football with a manager who knows him. Ballard will be hoping the injury is not as bad as feared currently and that a return to help Reading towards the end of the season is a possibility.
