Joey Barton gives positive update on two Fleetwood forwards stretchered off in FA Cup defeat at Hull
Joey Barton gave a positive update on Ched Evans and Harvey Saunders after both players were stretchered off in Fleetwood’s 2-0 FA Cup loss at Hull.
The forwards both suffered serious-looking injuries and spent significant time on the floor while being attended to by medics.
But Barton says the pair are looking well despite the blows, and that their health outweighs the 2-0 first-round defeat at the KCOM Stadium.
Town’s head coach said: “Thankfully Harvey is up and about and is walking around, although he doesn’t know what’s happened.
“I haven’t seen Ched yet but he’s talking. Hopefully they’re both okay because you never want to see players out cold on a pitch.
“We need to find out some more details but the early signs are that they’re okay.
“Hopefully that continues once they’ve been checked more thoroughly.
“Ched’s was a strange one. He got almost a whiplash injury.
“Harvey’s was a little bit more straightforward as their lad pushes him into the goalkeeper.
“We feel it’s a penalty and that’s been missed with him being unconscious as the keeper handles it out the box.”
Barely two minutes had been played when in-form striker Evans went down following an innocuous aerial duel with City’s Callum Elder.
Evans stayed down and after more than eight minutes of medical treatment was stretchered off.
Town were almost non-existent in attack thereafter.
The second blow for Town would arrive right on half-time.
Saunders chased down a ball to the City goalkeeper but came off worse in a collision with a home defender.