Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed that centre-half George Edmundson is out for the foreseeable future with the ankle injury he suffered during Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Lincoln, but better news is that Sam Morsy took part in training today and is expected to play against Portsmouth tomorrow.
Edmundson turned his ankle in the second half against the Imps and was replaced by Cameron Burgess, while Morsy later went off with a hamstring problem. Other players including Wes Burns and Luke Woolfenden also appeared to pick up knocks during Tuesday’s match but remained on the field.
"Mixed news really throughout the squad,” McKenna said when asked about the injury situation. "George Edmundson picked up an ankle injury which unfortunately is going to leave him out for quite some time.
"We were worried that it might need surgery and be a very long-term problem. Thankfully that doesn’t look like that’s going to be the case but he’s done some quite heavy ligament damage, so he’s going to be out for the foreseeable future.
"Beyond that, Sam Morsy was able to complete most of the training session today, so that was a positive, we’re hopeful that he’ll be OK for tomorrow.
"Wes Burns was able to complete some of the session, didn’t complete the whole session. Again, picked up a little issue on Tuesday night but we’re going to make a call on that one tomorrow, see how he reacts to the little one that he’s done today.
"Other than that, Kane Vincent-Young has had an issue all week so he hasn’t been in training but he was able to join back in with the group today, so at the moment he’s an option for us tomorrow and then we have Lee Evans and Kyle Edwards, the two more long-term injuries.
"Luke’s OK, that was just a knock that he picked up in the game but he’s OK.
"Luke’s injury I knew from the time I was in on Wednesday morning that it was just a knock that he’d received during the game and he was going to be fine.
"We’ve had a few issues to work through this week, as every team does, a few scenarios to work through this week, we’ve still got a few that we have to work through overnight if people make the game or not but Luke was never really part of that conundrum, we were always confident that he was going to be available for Saturday.”
McKenna admits Edmundson’s injury is a blow with the summer signing from Rangers having been one of the season’s top performers.
"He’s been an important player for us, obviously defensively but on the ball as well with the way he distributes it and the way he carries it up the pitch,” the Northern Irishman said.
"It’s a shame for him. We’re hopeful that he might play some football before the end of the season but that’s going to be very much touch and go.
"He’s a loss for the group on the pitch but is also a good character off it as well, in the dressing room before games.
"But, as we’ve said, we have a squad, we were always going to pick up injuries and different issues at this stage of the season, everybody does, that’s why we have a squad.
"I spoke on Tuesday night, my thoughts on Cam Burgess and how he’s conducted himself and applied himself over the last couple of months that I’ve been here.
"He’s been excellent really, so I’m happy for him that he’s going to get his opportunity to play on Saturday and some more games going forward very likely.
"We have a strong squad, we’re ready for whatever comes our way and the boys are looking forward to Saturday and will be ready to play.”