Mount Pleasant Academy’s attacking midfielder Alex Marshall is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken right foot in the club’s opening game of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) against his former club Portmore United at Ferdie Neita Park in St Catherine on Sunday.

Marshall, 26, fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right leg midway through the first half of the game and had to be substituted. Despite Marshall’s injury, Mount Pleasant still managed to secure a 2-0 victory over their opponents.

Mount Pleasant Sporting Director Paul Christie says Marshall, who was acquired by the St Ann-based club in the off season from Portmore United, could be out of action for over six weeks if the surgery is successful.

“As it is now, the organisation is actively in an advanced process of preparing the surgery, which will be done before the end of this week,” he said.

“This is, of course, a big blow to our team because we all know of his qualities, and he would have settled well in the system that Coach [Theodore] Whitmore is implementing in the organisation.”

Christie says Marshall’s absence will be significant, but that the team is well-equipped with players to step in and fill the gap.

“Yes, it is a knock for us,” he said. “However, at Mount Pleasant Football Academy, we have adopted a ‘next man up’ approach, and we have good quality replacements to carry out the task while we empathise with Marshall and do everything to assist with his speedy recovery. His recovery process has already been activated, and we are doing the best we can to accelerate it.”

Mount Pleasant Academy, who won the JPL in the 2022-23 season, were dethroned last season, losing 4-3 on penalties to Cavalier in the final.

Marshall, a national senior representative, netted five goals in 16 appearances for Portmore United in the JPL last season. He has made 14 appearances for the Reggae Boyz since making his debut in 2014.