CHRIS MARSDEN faces a second scan on the knee injury which has wrecked his build-up to the new season.

The battling midfielder will see a specialist on Friday for a second opinion on the patella tendon he damaged at the club's La Manga training camp.

It has left him struggling to be ready for the opening Premiership fixture at Leeds a fortnight on Saturday.

He said: "I will be very disappointed if I have not recovered from the injury by then but it will be hard to pick up the pace quickly.

"I still can't run properly, so I am having another scan just to see if the damage is still the same. Although I have worked hard to try and keep as fit as possible, I have not played any games yet.

"This part of the season is so important - we can't afford to start flat. It is a tough opening, so we need everyone fully fit and raring to go."

Skipper Jason Dodd must also be struggling to make the opening game following summer surgery on a knee but Matthew Oakley is improving and hopes to play at Bristol City on Saturday.

He came through a half at Newport on Monday but sits out tonight's friendly at Nottingham Forest.

And Francis Benali ex-pects to shake off a slight calf strain to face the side with whom he had three months on loan last season.

The cash-strapped Divi-sion 1 club have just said each of their players is on sale at the right price.

Benali said: "That could have been me had I signed there permanently. Now I am back here and really enjoying life.

"I'd probably have played at Newport on Monday but felt a twinge in my calf. So I hope to get at least part of the game tonight."

Boss Stuart Gray said: "The main thing is to pick up no more injuries.

It's not easy to prepare with Dodd, Mars-den and Oakley still out, but the shape will stay the same."