Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Trio face fitness battle ahead of Lincoln clash
JASON Pearce, Lee Bradbury and Sammy Igoe all face a race against time to be in contention for Cherries’ League Two showdown with Lincoln on Saturday.
And boss Eddie Howe is also sweating on the fitness of inspirational targetman Steve Fletcher as table-topping Cherries prepare to host the managerless Imps.
The injured quartet all sat out training during the early part of the week and have been closely monitored by Cherries physio Steve Hard.
Pearce has missed Cherries’ past two league and cup games due to a nagging calf problem and has a “50-50” chance of being ready for the clash against Lincoln, according to Howe.
The Cherries boss rates Bradbury and Igoe as “touch and go”, while Howe is still concerned with Fletcher’s fragile hamstring.
Bradbury limped off during the second half of Cherries’ victory at Torquay after feeling discomfort in his calf and was replaced at right-back by Anton Robinson.
And although Igoe played through the pain barrier at Plainmoor, the diminutive midfielder later started to feel the effects of a dead leg sustained against Yeovil in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Fletcher, meanwhile, came off the bench to net Cherries’ late winner in Devon after Howe had been forced to turn to him following an indifferent first-half showing.
Initially, Howe had been hoping to keep back Fletcher due to the delicate nature of his injury, only for the striker to make his entry at half-time.
Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, Howe said: “Fletch got through the second half but hamstrings are notorious so you have got to be careful with them.
“We are managing his injury because it is still a little tight and we’re not sure if he’s going to be ready to start. We don’t want to risk losing him for a period of time so I will go with what he tells me.”
Howe added: “Jason has started light jogging and will step up his training later this week. A scan revealed a minor problem with his calf so we will have to see how it reacts.
“Bradders felt a bit of tightness in his calf at Torquay so decided to come off. It was a good job he did because it probably saved him from doing more damage.
“Sammy is also a doubt with his dead leg. He did it against Yeovil but managed to play through it at Torquay. He iced it after the game and hasn’t been able to train so far this week.”
Howe welcomes back Josh McQuoid from international duty after the teenage striker lined up in Northern Ireland’s 6-2 defeat by Iceland in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier on Wednesday.
