LEE CLARK was today assessing the groin injury which forced Anthony Pilkington out of the action just 37 minutes into yesterday’s 1-0 home win over Carlisle.
Town’s manager is hopeful the prompt replacement of the 20-year-old by match-winner Andy Booth will improve his chances of being fit to face Walsall in the West Midlands on Saturday.
Pilkington, who has made 15 appearances since a reported £500,000 transfer from League I rivals Stockport in January, was injured when shooting in the 22nd minute.
“He felt a twinge as he took the shot,” explained Clark, whose side are ninth after Booth’s 78th-minute header.
“We got him off as soon as we realised he wasn’t going to be able to run it off, and hopefully it will be a short-term thing.”
Of Booth’s contribution, Clark said: “As it happened, Andy came on and won us the game with a trademark header.
“He got a bit of a cut on the head before that, but it didn’t stop him doing what he’s so good at.”
Clark was also pleased with the contribution of Tom Clarke, who once again played as a holding midfielder in the 4-5-1 formation Town employed when winning 2-1 at Scunthorpe on Good Friday.
“If you go back to when I gave Tom his new contract, he wasn’t in the team, but I said that when he did get in, he would be hard to dislodge and he’s proving me right.
“Tom just needed an opportunity and he has impressed both at full-back and in midfield. He can be a very good player for this club.”
Clark accepted that Town’s first-half display was too sluggish, saying: “I told the players at half-time that they had to up the tempo and we were that bit better all over the pitch in the second half.
“You can’t always play pretty football. Sometimes you have to grind out a result, which we did.”
