Deveronvale players self isolating as Covid-19 concerns lead to Highland League derby at Buckie Thistle being postponed
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SEVERAL Deveronvale players are set to return from a period of self-isolation on Saturday following the postponement of their new year derby due to “unrelated Covid-19 issues”.
Caretaker manager Craig Stewart revealed that a number of his players had been forced to stay at home and self-isolate as part of a coronavirus scare at the Banff club.
Combined with several injuries within the Vale camp, the club had only 13 players, including two goalkeepers, available for their trip to rivals Buckie Thistle, which was subsequently called off.
Stewart said the self-isolating group won’t train this week, but would be available for Saturday’s league match at home to Strathspey Thistle.
As a precaution, the club are expected to ask all of their squad to train individually this week then meet up for the match at the weekend.
“Everyone is fine,” said Stewart. “We have a few players who have been self-isolating, but their isolation will be finished so we should be good to go.”
The club have not revealed any positive Covid tests within their squad, saying a number of players were unavailable to play due to “unrelated Covid-19 issues”.
Stewart insisted that Vale have taken all necessary coronavirus protocol measures within their training and match schedules, hence the need to place some of their squad in isolation as a precaution.
“Everyone involved is in good health and good spirits,” he said. “I checked in with them again (on Sunday morning) and there’s not any symptoms.
“If we hadn’t been following the guidelines that are in place, it could have been worse.
“It’s one of those things that you never think it’s going to happen at your club.
“But when it gets as close as this, it makes you think a wee bit.
“We will keep following the guidelines as we have been doing and there’s no concern about that.
“There’s a few in isolation and if we hadn’t been following the guidelines that are in place, it could have been worse.”
Nairn County had their opening Highland League match postponed this season in similar circumstances, while major league fixtures in Scotland and England have had the plug pulled due to players coming into contact with people who have tested positive for coronavirus.
Vale are already without four key first-team players due to injury concerns.
Colin Charlesworth is expected to miss the rest of the season while he awaits news on possible knee surgery.
Kyle Willox and Matthew Wallace have also been out for the past two months, though, both are expected to return to training in the next week or two.
Defender Harry Noble picked up an injury in training over the festive period and although his problem is not a long-term concern, he is a doubt to play this weekend against Strathspey.
