Town boss Kieran McKenna says his squad remains “pretty stretched” due to illness and injury but that everyone aside from longer-term absentees George Hirst, Wes Burns and Janoi Donacien trained today.

Hirst is on his way back from hamstring surgery, Burns from a similar but less severe injury which didn’t require an op, while Donacien has a frustrating adductor issue.

“There’s still quite a few, we’re pretty stretched, I’d say,” McKenna said when asked if the illness and injury situation had improved. “There are quite a few players making themselves available.

“The availability’s still pretty high, I think there’s only George and Janoi and Wes on the long-term injury front, everyone else was training today.

“But there’s still some physical issues, medical and injuries around the camp, but the players are putting in a really good physical effort and making themselves available and I’m sure we’ll see a really energetic performance tomorrow night.”

Hirst and Burns have been pencilled in for returns in the latter stages of the season and pressed on when that might be more precisely, McKenna added: “The last three games are in a less than seven days time block. They won’t be available for the next two games, after that, nothing is guaranteed, but nothing is impossible. They’re both working on the grass now and we’ll continue to monitor them.

“We have a two-week break after the Middlesbrough game and I’m sure we’ll have a much better guide then on how they’re doing and which games they might be available for.”

Regarding Burns injury, which the Wales international suffered in the 6-0 hammering of Sheffield Wednesday, he continued: “It was a hamstring strain, I won’t go into the grades and the letters that get attached to these things but it was a pretty, serious isn’t the right word, but it was a proper hamstring pull.

“But, as I’ve said, no surgery required and he’s recovering well. The later scans have looked better. He’s still got a long way to go but he’s making good progress.”

McKenna confirmed that on-loan AFC Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore was OK after Saturday’s game, despite having been a doubt going into it after coming off against Southampton with a back problem.

“He came through OK, I think he feels a bit better for it, from the injury he picked up on Monday,” he said.

“But he felt ready to play on Saturday and he didn’t report any issues after. He’s done a few less minutes in the last three games, Blackburn, Southampton coming off early and coming off a bit earlier against Norwich, so he feels a bit better, a bit fresher going into this one.”

Photo: TWTD

itfcskayman added 15:18 - Apr 9 Hopefully this is partly mind games. Could the illness and niggles have played a part in an uncharacteristically flat performance against Norwich? Fingers crossed we have the fighting spirit we were missing on Saturday.
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Ralphinho added 15:26 - Apr 9 Burns and Hirst hat trick's at PR on 4th May to put us level on points and above Leeds and Leicester on GD confirmed.
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Len_Brennan added 15:42 - Apr 9 Massive game tomorrow night to be dealt with first; 3 points there would set up up nicely for another home game against Middlesbrough, so a win has to be expectation if we are to stay on track for a top 2 finish. Then we get the break ahead of the away games to Hull & Coventry; hopefully the extra time will allow Burns at least to be back for consideration as a starter. Hutchinson has been brilliant for us, but we really have missed the pace, directness & quality ball in from Burns since his injury; having those 2 options to replace each other would be massive for the last 3 games. I'd love to see Hirst coming on for Moore in the 70th minute, before the end of the season too.

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PortmanTerrorist added 15:45 - Apr 9 There was word around the Club, which I heard on Friday, that illness was still kicking around and that there would be late fitness tests (plural). Believe that was true, but I simply love the fact that McKenna NEVER uses excuses like that post match (even against the Sc*m) and treats these things as normal issues for a football team to overcome. I know it was #### result and performance, but you just know that there will be a response tomorrow. What a team, manager and Club we have right now. COYB

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wischip added 15:47 - Apr 9 KMcK has worked wonders with this squad to get us where we are with just 5 games to go. And Leicester & Leeds must have a few injured, suspended or ill. Nobody keeps a 25 man squad fully available near the end, do they ? We can do this.
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JewellintheTown added 16:10 - Apr 9 Whole injured squad including Burns was going crazy limbs on the bench after the Southampton win, so I'd hope they're back sooner rather than later for them all.
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skankerman added 16:28 - Apr 9 Forget Saturday result We are 5 games from promotion The entire squad including management have delivered a fantastic season so far. Proud of our club and hope we can keep going for a few more games. Wes and George will be back for the final games
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MK1 added 18:26 - Apr 9 Some mind games going on here I reckon. Sure the lads will be up for it. Looking forward to it so much.
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IpswichToon added 22:37 - Apr 9 Long may the post-loss-bounce-back continue!
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Blue_Fred added 00:42 - Apr 10 Coventry’s FACup run has done us a huge favour I feel
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