NATHAN Greaves is backing Cradley to battle through their injury problems and get a National League title challenge back on track.

Heathens have lost Greaves to a badly broken leg – and Michael Neale had surgery last week to plate his broken collarbone.

They’ll be looking for three more league points when Buxton visit Perry Barr on Wednesday, July 22 with the possibility of a temporary signing covering for Neale.

And Greaves admits he’s not the best of spectators as he prepares to see out the season on the injury list.

Greaves said: “It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Cradley, but after winning the League and nearly every trophy going the last two years it was bound to happen sooner or later.

“Some bad luck was always going to come around at some stage, that’s just the way speedway goes, and with me and Mike Neale getting injured at the same time things haven’t been easy.

“It’s frustrating watching updates and not being able to ride, but I’m sure the boys will get through it and manage to get going again.

“As a team we’ve just got to keep working hard and doing the best we can, and I’m sure we’ll be able to pick things up again.

“Hopefully the team can start winning again soon and we can still be in the mix for the title at the end of the year.”

Meanwhile Neale will be having laser treatment in a bid to speed up his recovery from the collarbone injury.

He said: “I was at Birmingham last week to see Steve Williams the physio, and he said to give him a call once my operation was done so I’ve got in touch with him and started having treatment.

“I’ll be able to use the laser treatment he has there as well as hiring the machine so I can have some treatment at home to try and speed things up and get back riding as soon as possible.

“If that all goes well I’m hoping to be back on a bike in 3-4 weeks, so fingers crossed things go to plan and it’s not long before I’m back riding again.

“I don’t want to miss many meetings, and it was really frustrating watching the Birmingham meeting and not being able to ride so I hope I will be back sooner rather than later.”