Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards on Riley McGree and Alex Bangura injuries

Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards on Riley McGree and Alex Bangura injuries



Boro suffered a 2-0 defeat at Valley Parade, with Bangura and McGree both leaving the field before the half-time interval.

Bangura, who missed the whole of last season with a serious Achilles injury, was clearly distraught when he was forced off in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, and was in obvious discomfort as he hobbled down the touchline at half-time.

Edwards consoled the defender after he was substituted, and revealed after the game that Bangura was only due to play for 30 minutes in an attempt to build up his fitness.

“We’re hoping they’re (the two injuries) not too serious,” said the Boro boss. “It’s 430-odd days that Alex has been out. He got half-an-hour the other day (at Mansfield), but the reason for him starting was that we wanted him to get the full warm-up with the lads at the start of the game.

“The plan was for him to come off after 30 minutes, so it’s a case of keeping everything crossed for him now that it’s not too serious. We’ll know in the next couple of days.”

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McGree suffered from a succession of muscular problems last season, and signalled to the bench when he experienced a tightness in his hamstrings shortly before the break. Again, Edwards is hoping the Australian has not suffered a serious setback.

“Riley just felt a tightness,” he said. “We’re hoping it’s no more than that. After the game on Saturday, Riley felt he wanted to work on the intensity a little bit more.

“I know that was in his head. He was flying around tonight, and I think he just felt things tighten up a little bit.”

Boro were beaten by League One opposition this evening, with Bradford opening the scoring when Antoni Sarcevic converted a hotly-disputed penalty shortly before the interval and doubling their lead when Will Swan slotted a low finish through Sol Brynn’s legs with the final touch of the game.

The Teessiders constructed some neat passing moves, particularly in the first half, but were largely devoid of an end product in the final third.

“When we look at it back, I think we’ll see that we got to the final third so well at times,” said Edwards. “But then we’ve got to make more of it.

“There were some great bits of play, but that’s not enough. I’m interested in that, of course I am, but I’m more interested in working the goalkeeper, having shots and scoring goals.

“The lads know that. They recognise that in there – it’s a case of make a better decision, execute things better if you are shooting. We’ve got some really good players, especially in those final third bits, but we need a little bit more from them now.”



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