Fleetwood hope to welcome back Bolger after freak training injury

Fleetwood Town boss John Sheridan is hopeful centre-half Cian Bolger will return for Saturday's home clash with Wigan.
Cian BolgerCian Bolger
Cian Bolger

Sheridan says a ball struck by Ashley Hunter in training hit the defender at close range and concussion protocols forced Bolger to miss derby day.

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Bolger hopes to be back in action against promotion-chasing Wigan.

Sheridan said of Bolger: “Someone struck a ball from five yards – I think it was Ashley – and he was really concussed after training.

“He had a scan and was not allowed to play. I’m hoping he is back for Wigan.”

Town let a 1-0 lead slip at Bloomfield Road as Wes Burns’ deflected effort was overturned by two goals in the final six minutes.

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Viv Solomon-Otobar’s 88th-minute effort and Armand Gnanduillet’s last-gasp header thwarted Town’s bid for a first-ever win over the Seasiders.

But Sheridan, who said his side “threw the game away”, did not think Bolger was missed because skipper Nathan Pond and Ash Eastham impressed at the heart of defence.

Asked if Bolger was missed, the Town boss said: “No, because I felt we did well in the game.

“It was a tricky pitch and the way they play they make it uncomfortable but I thought the lads did well.

“We didn’t look inferior. I felt we were the better team.

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“I don’t look at players that we have missed because we have lost a game that we should have won.”

Sheridan refused to blame striker Burns, who netted his first league goal since October but should have made it two when sent through on goal.

Sheridan did stress the need for better game-management and added: “We lost the game. Wes has done well when he came on and he has scored but he knows...

“There is no blame on him but that would have changed the game completely.

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“We’ve lost the game and I want to look at why. That is purely down to game-management, people staying in position and passing the ball where it should go instead of putting yourself on the back foot, which is what we did.

“We had the ball in the corner for their first goal. They end up getting a throw-in deep in the corner and they score from a long throw.

“We just have to see the game out better.”