MACCLESFIELD Town midfielder Hamza Bencherif’s season looks to be over.

The Algerian suffered a fractured ankle after a challenge from Rochdale’s Jason Kennedy and is to undergo an operation to reset the ankle next week.

Bencherif, one of the Silkmen’s more consistent performers and top-scorer so far, is now set to spend the rest of his first Macc campaign on the sidelines.

The injury comes as a double blow since the former Under-20 international had an outside chance of earning a place in his country’s World Cup squad, and he could even have been lining up against England in the group stages in Cape Town this summer.

"Hamza’s unlikely to play again this season," conceded Macc manager Keith Alexander. "It was a bad tackle. I’m not saying it was malicious but it was certainly a bad tackle."

Alexander is awaiting good news on the condition of on-loan striker Ricky Sappleton, who lasted just 15 minutes at Spotland.

"I’m hoping he’ll train either on Thursday or Friday," he added. "He’s taken a kick on the knee and got a dead leg, so we’ll see how he goes."

There was, however, better news surrounding Carl Tremarco, the third of the Silkmen’s stricken trio to visit Rochdale Infirmary at the weekend. The left-back was knocked out cold for a short time after a blow to the head on Saturday but there appear to have been no after-effects.

There is some good news off the field for the Macc faithful, with this week’s announcement of a move to reduce the club’s debts.

Thanks to the support of majority shareholders Amar and Bashar Alkadhi, who made more than three-quarters of the outstanding loan payments, the club has, for a number of years, operated on a stable financial platform.

This week, Macc Town announced a conversion of more than £800,000 in long-term debts into shares.

Chairman Mike Rance said in an official statement: "We’re having to work very hard to ensure that the club continues to operate prudently and in a self-sustaining way, operating within the limits of its own resources.

"A stronger balance sheet, associated with a clear message of intent from the board to commit to the long-term development of the club can only help us to achieve our long-term objectives, both on and off the field."

Alexander, meanwhile, says he will continue to operate within his restricted allowance as he casts an eye over the transfer market.

"It would be nice if some more money becomes available for January," he added. "I’m happy to work within a small budget but many supporters think we should go out and spend a fortune that we haven’t got.

"We’ve got to score goals so our priority is still to find a striker who’ll put the ball in the net."