Preston keeper Gavin Ward is back in training after after recovering from the eye injury he sustained in the recent game against Town. The much-travelled stopper was accidentally caught in the face by midfielder Ian Westlake late in the game and had to be stretchered off.

Ward said: "The eye's fine, I had it checked out by the specialist last Friday night and did all the relevant tests and everything's intact and I'm fine.

"I can remember all of the match, including the incident leading up to where I got hit. I just got the ball in two hands and then whack.

"I didn't even realised that I had been knocked out. It was only when I was in the medical room and I went to get up quick and [fellow keeper Andy Lonergan] said 'Be careful, don't move too quickly because you've been knocked out', which took me by surprise.

"It was unfortunate but that's the way the game goes. I'm just happy that my eye's fine and that I'm feeling fine because it could have been a lot worse."

Westlake sent Ward a card to wish him well and to apologise for the incident.

Photo: Action Images

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