Lincoln City defender Tom Hamer is progressing in his recovery from injury, although there is no suggestion he will return against Preston North End.
Hamer has been absent for the last couple of weeks, with his most recent appearance coming during the 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth at Sincil Bank.
The defender subsequently missed the matches against Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Southampton and Bournemouth. Joint head coach Chris Cohen confirmed that Hamer is moving closer to a return, but offered no indication that he could be involved against Preston.
“Yes, Tom Hamer is getting closer,” he said in today’s press conference on Imps+.
Chris did not confirm whether Hamer would be available against Preston, but his progress is positive news as the Imps prepare to return to Championship action following their League Cup exit at Bournemouth.
There is less encouraging news surrounding Mason Melia, who was expected to be involved at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee was ultimately absent from the matchday squad after suffering a problem in training. The young forward was due to undergo a scan to establish the extent of the injury.
“Mason Melia has a scan on his quad today after feeling it in training on Monday morning. That is a shame for him because he was going to be part of the squad at Bournemouth on Tuesday night,” said Chris.
Melia has so far made one start and three substitute appearances for City, but was also left out of the squad for the Championship meeting with Southampton.
Sonny Bradley made his return against Southampton last weekend, having missed the opening fixtures of the campaign through injury. The centre-back was immediately restored to the starting XI and wore the captain’s armband at Sincil Bank.
His recovery came sooner than Cohen had anticipated, with the joint head coach admitting that Bradley’s return had also taken him by surprise.
“Sonny surprised me as well, Michael (Hortin). It wasn’t just you he surprised.”
Bradley’s availability strengthens City’s defensive options ahead of the Preston game, although Melia’s scan will determine whether the Imps have picked up another absentee, in addition to Hamer and Tendayi Darikwa, who is out long term
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