Reno's Graham banking on young guns

Western Bureau:

Roshane Sharpe's 80th-minute goal saved Reno from another heartbreaking loss to Boys' Town on Sunday, but even after getting that precious point, head coach Michael Graham believes a true rear-guard action will be needed if the three-time league winners are to escape relegation at the end of the season.

Their struggles will not get any better, at least in the short term, as STAR Sports has been reliably informed that they have failed to secure the signature of Craig Foster, the league's top scorer from last year.

Foster left the club in the off-season for the United Soccer League's Harrisburg City Islanders and after a promising start to their season, was sidelined with a leg injury.

His return was seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for Reno, who are in ninth place in the league table with 24 points, just five ahead of the relegation places.

"We heard from a good source that Craig Foster may not, after all, rejoin the club, as he is due to leave the country shortly," Graham said.

"We were hoping to pin him down in a new deal but ... that may not be happening as we had planned," said Graham.

He said that while the club has been struggling, he still has confidence that they can salvage their season.

"This is still very much a work in progress. Yes, we recognise that we need to fix some things.

"I think we are going to get there shortly because if we don't have a ready-made centre forward, we have to make one, and that is why a young player such as Sharpe is very important," added Graham.

Sharpe was scoring for only the fourth time this season, but his goal was crucial for Reno, who were facing a third loss in five matches.