Full-back crisis as Thompson and Bessone are ruled out (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: Full-back crisis as Thompson and Bessone are ruled out

6:00am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Sport By Sam Morshead

OUT OF ACTION: Nathan Thompson limps off on Saturday

Nathan Thompson faces several weeks on the sidelines and Federico Bessone has been ruled out for a month after both full-backs picked up knocks over the course of the past week.

Thompson hobbled off after 68 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Scunthorpe on Saturday and left the County Ground with his foot in a protective boot after twisting his ankle early in the second half, while Bessone sustained a calf injury in training in the build-up to the game.

Thompson was due to have a scan on his ankle yesterday evening to determine the extent of the problem, but manager Paolo Di Canio suggested both players could be out of action for a significant period of time.

“Fede, probably because he wanted to commit, lied because he wanted to stay in training. I saw him limp a bit and I asked him what was up,” he said.

“He said nothing was tight and then I discovered he went at the end of the training session to Paul (Godfrey, Swindon physio) and he had a test.

“He said he felt okay. The day after it was the same and he said he was okay. Then he got an injury in a training session.

“It takes a long time, approximately one month. We don’t have the subs.

“Nathan Thompson, is he unlucky? I don’t know. Every time he plays he gets something. We thought it was his stomach but the problem was his ankle. During the game he twisted his ankle.

“He’s going to have a scan and we will see the damage. He will be out for a few weeks.

“We will work on it. I hope that a high percentage of the players commit and do not take advantage of the situation in a silly way.”

With Aden Flint suspended for the trip to Crewe after picking up a red card at the weekend, Di Canio now has only five first-team defenders available for the clash at Gresty Road.