Ashford United host benefit match for injured midfielder Rhyle Ovenden after £16,000 knee operation

A benefit match for injured Ashford midfielder Rhyle Ovenden takes place at Homelands this weekend.

Ovenden, 23, tore his cruciate knee ligament in the Nuts & Bolts’ 2-2 draw with Faversham on New Year’s Day.

The former Watford youngster underwent a £16,000 operation in April to save his career but still faces another eight months on the sidelines.

Ashford have rallied round as a club, setting up an online crowdfunder and holding bucket collections, while the squad also held a whip-round to help Ovenden cover his costs and loss of earnings.

Manager Tommy Warrilow has organised a benefit game on Saturday (1.30pm) featuring Ashford players past and present.

Those returning include Sam Corne, Danny Parish, Jerald Aboagye, Sam Hasler, Pat Kingwell and Liam Whiting.

Warrilow will manage one of the teams, with Tony Reynolds in the opposite dugout.

“Tommy and everyone at the club have been great,” said Ovenden.

“It’s been difficult but they’ve helped loads. I’m really grateful.”

Ovenden, a former Wales youth international, has had rotten luck with his knee over the years.

This is his third cruciate ligament injury and while he recovered from the first two on rehab alone, surgery was the only option this time.

“I had two partial tears before and this time it fully went,” said Ovenden, a self-employed football coach.

“I knew what it was as soon as it happened - I was in a lot of pain.

“With the partial tears you could rehab and get away without surgery but with this one I was told I would definitely need surgery.

“I think the weakness was there from the first one but hopefully the surgery will resolve that.

“I’ve already been out for five months and I’ve still got another eight to go, realistically.

“I was really enjoying it at