Brad Carroll, Workington’s industrious mid-fielder, appears to have escaped serious injury in Saturday’s game at Colne.
There was concern over the Reds vice-captain when he was left in a heap while attacking a corner in time added on at the end of the first-half.
A goal-mouth scramble had resulted in him taking a boot in the face and five minutes after the other players had left for the dressing room he was just being helped to his feet.
It was actually a boot from team-mate Steven Rigg as they both went for the ball in the box scenting a goal which caused the damage.
He was subsequently taken to Blackburn hospital and was still being attended to well after his team-mates had left for home.
Darrell Thomas, the former Reds commercial manager who had been a spectator at the game, ferried Carroll to hospital and then dropped him off at home.
Reds boss Chris Willcock said: “A CT scan he had at hospital came back clear and there was no damage internally with the eye. The specialist was happy on examination and he’s confident of a full recovery.
“He has to go back next Monday after the swelling has gone down for a check-up and we will know more after that as to when he can return to training etc.”
Carroll, a player who has impressed Willcock whenever he has been free of injury to play, has already had two spells on the side-lines with hamstring trouble.
It means he will certainly be missing again on Saturday when Reds entertain Prescot Cables, but the following Saturday (December 4) they are again without a fixture. They do, however, return to action on Tuesday, December 7 at home to Bootle.
Meanwhile Willcock has confirmed that utility player Donae Lawrence remains part of his plans although playing for Emley in their last two games.
He was man of the match on debut in a 2-2 draw at Silsdon in the North East Counties Premier League and then played for 76 minutes in a 2-0 FA Vase defeat at Newcastle Benfield on Saturday.
“We thought Donae needed some game time after coming back from injury. He was unlucky not to be in the squad at Colne and he is still very much a Workington player,” said Willcock.
His versatility almost certainly means that he will be back in the squad for Saturday when Reds will be short of Carroll and Nico Evangelinos, with Ruben Jerome due to start his suspension for picking-up a straight red in the win at Colne.
Evangelinos is still struggling to shake-off the quod injury he suffered in the FA Cup replay at Marine in September. The club have gone down a different route regarding treatment and hoping this will get him back fit soon.
