Boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with Tyrone Mings’s display in his second senior start during the 2-1 defeat at Reading on Saturday, but says the 20-year-old is a doubt for Tuesday’s Capital One Cup match at Stevenage.

McCarthy was unconcerned by the Royals’ equaliser going in off the unlucky Mings — which in any case will probably be officially credited to Reading striker Adam Le Fondre with Football League clubs responsible for deciding who scores their goals — and felt the 20-year-old did very well overall.

“I’m not worried about that,” he said. “I thought he was brilliant, I thought he was excellent and he opened his knee up earlier on in the game and I’m hoping he’s going to be OK.

“He had it strapped up at half-time and continued to play like a man. I’m delighted for him. He’s a good lad, him.”

The former Chippenham Town man (pictured above battling with Reading’s Jobi McAnuff) was hobbling badly after the game and seems unlikely to be involved at Broadhall Way on Tuesday, having come in for Aaron Cresswell with the ex-Tranmere man watching from the Madejski Stadium stands due to a thigh problem. [Edit] He has tweeted that he has undergone an MRI scan this morning.

McCarthy doesn’t expect Cresswell to be ready for the trip to Stevenage: “I think Tuesday will be too soon for him and I don’t really want to risk him. And we’ll have to see how big Tyrone is as well, which hasn’t helped at all.

“So, at best, we’re looking at Saturday I’m sure [for Cresswell], unless we’re looking at some miraculous recovery over the weekend.”

The injuries to Mings and Cresswell could see 18-year-old David October make his first-team debut at left-back at Stevenage, although McCarthy was keeping typically tight-lipped after Saturday’s game: “We’ll have to see.”

If he plays on Tuesday, October is unlikely to be the only debutant with McCarthy probably resting at least some of the other senior players who suffered knocks at the weekend: “We’ve taken a few bumps and bruises there. We’ve got Tuesday-Saturday, so I’ll have to look at it.”

The Town boss will have few qualms about giving youngsters a chance having been impressed with those that joined the senior players during pre-season.
“It’s lovely having them come through. I think the standout one for me was Kyle Hammond, who has played at right-back or wide right,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed watching them. Kyle Hammond looks like he’s really bought into it and copped onto how he can get in the team and he’ll be on the fringes of the team, he’s done really well.

“Jack Marriott from last year, he got in the team, and he’s not been with us because we’ve got four strikers. I’ve had to explain that to him, but he’s had a game, he came on at Burnley.

“Amir Berkane has really good awareness on the pitch and vision and he can pass it and I’ve been badgering him to do more because he is a good football, and we know Byron Lawrence well.

“They’re doing all right, some of them are faring better than others, it’s not easy when you start training with the first team, they’re bigger, stronger, quicker, some of them adapt better.

“But it’s nice when you do see them coming through and you think ‘You know what? He’s got a chance, him’. That’s lovely.”

McCarthy is firmly behind the club’s decision to upgrade to a Category One academy: “I want to be as good as we can, have the best academy that we can possibly have.

“And it’s going to have to be a necessity, an essential part of people’s armoury, having the kids coming through. I will do everything I can to encourage having the best academy that I can.”

The Town manager says he’s a firm believer in the old adage that if they're good enough, they're old enough.

“I always want to put the best team possible out,” he said. “You pick the best XI, whether they’re old or young.”

Photo: Action Images

BigAlsMate added 06:43 - Aug 5 Would be good to get a comfortable win at Stevenage to set us up for the Millwall game. Needs to get points from our home games, because it's going to be one helluva tight league again this season. Impressed with what I saw at Reading though. COYB
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BeingBlue added 07:19 - Aug 5 Hopefully Cresswell will be back for the game against millwall, we missed his experience and attacking threat at the madejski.
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wkj added 07:20 - Aug 5 I hope Marriot doesn't get forgotten
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battyblue added 07:29 - Aug 5 If you are good enough you are old enough perhaps Marriot might be better than perhaps one or two of our four strikers he has only had a half at Burnley when he looked sharp with two good efforts on target personally i think he should be involved and maybe on the bench now and again.
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stevelincsexile added 07:30 - Aug 5 Good blend of youth and experience against Stevenage.
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ManningtreeBlue99 added 07:42 - Aug 5 Amir Berkane would be fine for a Capital One Cup game. Though it would be nice to win I suppose it's better to give a few of the younger ones a run out.
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sucrePB1 added 08:07 - Aug 5 heard he was v v v poor
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BillBlue added 08:28 - Aug 5 "The Town manager says he's a firm believer in the old adage that if they're good enough, they're old enough." OK, well give Jack marriott a three match run. Both of our Saturday strikers were described by The Two Unfortunates as being anonymous and we need goals!
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BillBlue added 08:29 - Aug 5 sorry - Marriott! Ive got a new laptop and some of the key are only half size!
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Wickets added 08:41 - Aug 5 Both Mings and Hewitt did very well, Mings got booked, a weak decision just to even up a Reading booking,took a heavy knock but still did a good job. No doubt Mick would have loved to start the season with the back 4 who did us proud last season but these two have every chance to be top players in this division but we must remember how young and inexperanced they are so they will make the odd mistake.

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Mr_Jingles added 08:59 - Aug 5 Thought He did a good job on Saturday..... Reading were trying to exploit him all afternoon.... but generally failed !!!
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TractorCam added 09:09 - Aug 5 I thought Mings was pretty dire, he kept losing the ball at his feet and i can't remember him completing a pass all game. I think he's more of a centre back as we was very good in the air.
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Len_Brennan added 09:14 - Aug 5 Mings looks a good prospect & clearly the lad has great heart, but I don't think he is as good as Mick is suggesting here. Of course we would want the manager to praise & encourage the young players so this is good management. Cresswell's injury & the timing of it, was unlucky, but I think it shows up how vulnerable we are/would be in the realistic possibility of a Premiership club coming in for Cresswell. Our squad is small & much as we like to see youth coming through, we could not really expect Mings & October to cover the left back spot this season. I know Tommy Smith has player there & Berra could play there in an emergency, but neither are as comfortable there as a right centre like Chambrrs or Stearman is at right full. Despite Mick's great summer of signings, I do still have a concern about us at the back, in sheer defensive ability. Hewitt is a good player, no question, but he is not as good a defender as Stearman & doesn't (understanably) give as much protection to the centehalves. Accordingly, we are likely to persist with 2 holding central midfielders and therefore miss out on some of the creativity that perhaps Wordsworth would give. Carloa will also have a more cautious defensive role to his game also. Ok, our first game was away to a relegated side, but I couldn't help thinking that how Mick set up that team is how he will continue to over the season, home & away.

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kiwiblue added 09:47 - Aug 5 Change the tactics then for the cup. Three across the back with 5 in the middle and two up front. Make space for Berra Taylor and Anderson to start replacing and resting Mings Carlos and perhaps Murphy
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Stato added 09:57 - Aug 5 Tunicliffe, Taylor, Berra and Veseli are MUST starters for me on Tuesday as all are in contention for a start against Millwall and need the match fitness.
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RegencyBlue added 10:03 - Aug 5 Not sure Mings was that good Saturday Mick! He did OK but he looked shaky in the first half after being treated for an injury and the booking didnt help. Second half he gave the ball away too cheaply on a number of occasions but, to be fair, he also found a few good passes. Overall I would say Mings looks a reasonable prospect but we missed Cresswell badly and if he is going to be out for any length of time Mings is not the answer currently.

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muccletonjoe added 10:07 - Aug 5 I think October will be given a chance. Let's hope all those who do get into the first team give a good account of themselves and give mm something to think about
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SouperJim added 10:13 - Aug 5 I think some people have been very harsh on Mings' performance. He'd been clattered, he'd been unfairly booked and he was up against a very good winger in Robson-Kanu. Reading tried to target Mings quite a bit, but by and large he stood up well. To simply state he was "poor" is a rather unbalanced assessment, give the lad a chance. Mick was pleased with his performance and so was I, it was not an easy game for him by any stretch of the imagination.

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Beattiesballbag added 11:05 - Aug 5 Beattie, Burley etc,.......they all made mistakes to start with but were left in the team to get up to competitive match speed & gain experience, you don't get that in the reserves! Leave the boys in to get that experience . The defence is not a worry, it's the two supposed experienced forwards that need to contribute more,........ & don't make excuses for them by saying the service is poor there should be a lot more to a forwards game than just holding the ball up well! The Reading defence is not as good as ours but their forwards put our defence under more pressure.

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Michael11 added 11:41 - Aug 5 This will probably sound bad, but i really don't care about the league cup. I'd rest our whole first 11 and give our young lads some competetive game time. Would like to see us focus more on the league!
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Bluetone added 12:39 - Aug 5 Beattiebaalsbag difference is Burley had big bad Al to support him.
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