Town manager Kieran McKenna says the club was “positive a solution would be met with Brighton” regarding Christian Walton’s future with the keeper due to return to his parent club following today’s match at Bolton.

Asked about the situation with Walton, who was recalled by the Seagulls with seven days’ notice earlier in the week, McKenna said: “I’ve not spoken to the club today on it. Last time I heard the club was working on it, they were positive a solution would be met with Brighton and I’ve not been updated any more, the situation is still the same, we’re still hoping that that will get done.’

Is he expecting the 26-year-old to train at Playford Road this week or will he go straight back to the Premier League club? “To be honest, I don’t know the ins and outs, it’s the club who are dealing with Brighton. Obviously had the recall, they had a seven-day period after that.

“I know the club have been working hard and have had some good dialogue with Brighton this week.

“I haven’t been updated in the last 24 hours to know where that’s at, so I’m not sure the short-term plan over the next couple of days is, but we’re working hard to make sure he’s with us for the rest of the year.”

Yesterday, it was confirmed that striker Macauley Bonne would be staying for the rest of the season on loan from QPR.

“That’s pleasing, he’s been a big part of the group, how he leads from the front on the pitch,” his manager said.

“I thought his performance in the second half was really good as well, I thought he led the line well, he pressed really well in the second half, gave us that control and that momentum.

“He was a good focal point for the team, unfortunately we didn’t probably have enough penetration around him today and didn’t create enough clear-cut chances, but pleasing to have him here for the rest of the season.”

With Toto Nsiala moving on to Fleetwood yesterday, McKenna was asked whether that mean the Blues are looking for another centre-half.

“It’s one number that we’ve lost from that position,” the Blues boss considered. “We still have four in our current set-up. Janoi [Donacien] has been playing as a right centre-back, we have George, Luke [Woolfenden] and Cameron Burgess as well, so we’re not short of numbers as such.

“But it’s a position in terms of profile and qualities there might be something we look to add in the next couple of weeks possibly.”

Photo: Matchday Images

ringwoodblue added 18:51 - Jan 15 Think KMcK needs to work on corners and other set pieces in training. We had 9 corners today I believe and did nothing with any of them. Set pieces are a key part of the game so we must be able to take advantage of ours and defend against theirs.
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Suffolkboy added 18:59 - Jan 15 Ringwood – entirely agree ; this element has been a very evident weakness all this season but there can be little doubt that a Coach of McK's standing and experience will be only too well aware . There's still lots to be put under the microscope ,and many details and weaknesses to be improved upon ,but it will happen with our new Mgt team ! COYB
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Kentish_Tractor added 19:01 - Jan 15 Walton definitely at fault for their first goal today, should have parried it to the side rather than straight back to the striker, but he did make some good saves too. Couldn't blame him though if he had stuff on his mind due to uncertainty of where he will be playing rest of the season - guess we'll never know if that affected him or not. Hope we can get him in though permanently. Deffo the best at the club and one of the best in the division. . Maybe he just has a weird thing about playing Bolton?

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ArnieM added 19:34 - Jan 15 It would have been another crushing , embarrassing defeat against Bolton today had it not been for Walton. And what is it with this pitta patta football in and around our own box ffs?. It creates ZERO pressure on the opponents defence ZERO shots on the opponents goal ZERO chances for our strikers to score a goal. But it does create an opportunity for the opposition to score against us .

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OwainG1992 added 20:55 - Jan 15 We've seemingly been poor when it comes to corners since Mick left. Whenever you'd see Berra, Smith getting forward to join Murphy and Co you felt like right here we go. We need that steel back.
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dav86 added 00:25 - Jan 16 Well said Owain, we haven't had a presence from corners since Berra or smith was here, that needs sorting ASAP especially in this league
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Bazza8564 added 05:47 - Jan 16 the corners thing is about it delivery, Evans wasted so many, that's the issue for me. as for the pitter patter, well that's designed to bring teams on to you to thin them out and create space. if you don't do that you're just thumping it away and it comes straight back, especially when our only decent player in the air is on the bench. Nothing wrong with the style KM is playing, just too many unforced errors yesterday and Evans had a shocker with the dead ball. Surely someone else should have a go, he missed everybody high first half, low second half and bent one straight out.

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ArnieM added 08:59 - Jan 16 Have to laugh at the down arrows of my post above . What is incorrect of any, of what I had written ?
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Europablue added 09:04 - Jan 16 Suffolkboy It's not just this year, we've been terrible at corners for at least a decade!
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Europablue added 09:06 - Jan 16 Kentish_Tractor Walton was definitely at fault for the first goal, but then again so was the whole midfield and defense. The defender who was supposed to be marking the man who scored could have covered for him because Walton is always covering for his defense. We had a lot of opportunities to get the ball away. It was really a team goal in that we all worked together to give it away.

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