ROSSENDALE have suffered a 'massive blow' with the loss of Paul Lynch who broke his leg in Saturday's clash at Eastwood.

The midfielder went in for an innocuous tackle in the first half of the UniBond First Division match in Nottingham and dislocated his ankle and snapped his shin bone.

"You build your team around players like Paul and it is disastrous," said Dale boss Jim McCluskie.

"I feel so sorry for the lad and his family. It was a nothing tackle but it had just rained and I think that contributed.

"He just went to nick the ball off someone and the next minute he was writhing around in agony.

"He has been a great player for us, he was part of the championship team and he was just getting into the form of his life.

"He was always the first name of the team-sheet and I am gutted for the lad. He won't play again this season."

What made it even worse for Lynch was the delay in getting treated in Nottingham.

By all accounts, it took 50 minutes for the ambulance to arrive as the player rolled about in pain.

"It happened at 3.20pm and he got picked up at 4:10 from the ground and saw a doctor about three hours later. They had four attempts at setting his leg," said the manager.

"He said he was in agony. He had a torrid time."

Lynch, a sports therapist from Blackburn, has been at Rossendale a couple of seasons, after spells at Kendal and Accrington Stanley, and helped them win the NWCL Division One a couple of seasons ago.

The 25-year-old was aiming to be a big part of a side that hope to be challenging for promotion this season.

"You can't replace players like Paul who give their all," said a downcast McCluskie. "He leads by example and is a born winner.

"He has contributed such a lot over the years and I have been delighted with the progress he has made.

"It is a massive blow."

It's another bad injury to add to the ones which seem to have blighted Dale since they clinched promotion to the UniBond League.

Last season defender Steve Bird suffered a bad break in an FA Cup clash against Barrow and still isn't back in action while striker Dave Gray, now at Nelson, also broke his leg.

Jerome Fitzgerald broke his wrist as did Matt Knowles while keeper Mark Andrews badly gashed his leg and was out for at least three months.

"I thought we had got all our bad luck over," said McCluskie.

His side did draw with Eastwood after recovering from the shock of the injury and now the Dale chief will have to set about rebuilding his side for tonight's game at Belper.

"It is always difficult but the lads came back on Saturday to force a draw and could have won it in the end.

"Chris Scott took his goal well but it is hard to think about football when something like that happens. Our thoughts are with Paul and his family."

Elsewhere tonight, Chorley are at home to Ossett Town in the UniBond Division One, hoping to bounce back from their loss to league leaders Alfreton on Saturday.

In NWCL Division One, league leaders Clitheroe hope to continue their fantastic start to the season when they travel to Atherton LR while Ramsbottom are at home to Fleetwood.

In Division Two, Darwen are at home to Daisy Hill while Nelson travel to Oldham.