Wednesday 13 May 2015 12:51, UK
Southend boss Phil Brown says midfielder Michael Timlin could figure in the second leg of the League Two play-off semi-final against Stevenage on Thursday, despite suffering a head injury in the first game between the sides.
Timlin, who collided with Stevenage captain Bira Dembele when competing for a header in Sunday's 1-1 draw, left the field bandaged and covered in blood before having a number of stitches inserted in a gaping wound above his eye.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Brown said: "He is doing his first training session today and we’ll see how he gets on. If he comes through it unscathed, then it’s a decision I’ve got to make in terms of team selection.
To leave him out there for fifteen minutes wasn’t a good decision, you’re always thinking about the welfare of your players
"If he does play, he will be sporting a skull cap. A lot of people will ask, with 15-20 stitches in his forehead, can Michael possibly play and head the ball? He is going to try that out today. If it’s detrimental, then he won’t play but if it’s successful, then he has a chance."
The 30-year-old had complained of 'a banging headache' after the game and is being assessed by medical staff.
Brown said: "Michael ended up with a nasty gash on his forehead. He is sporting a black eye and a lot of bruising around his cheek bone but he’s had it examined by doctors, facial surgeons and we’ve gone down the line of research with regards to skull caps and padding."
Timlin was substituted after the collision on 28 minutes when the tie was 0-0, while Dembele played on until half-time.
'Welfare'
Brown said: "Where Michael is concerned, he's not suffering from concussion whereas I think Bira Dembele did.
"To leave him out there for 15 minutes in the first half, for me, wasn’t a good decision. You’re always thinking about the welfare of your players. I think the removal of Michael Timlin from the game was the right decision and consequently he has a chance of playing tomorrow night."
Southend missed out on automatic promotion after losing 3-1 at Morecambe on the final day of the season but Brown insists the final chapter on the season's outcome has yet to be written.
"The success story will be, hopefully after tomorrow night, a trip to Wembley then it’s exactly the same achievement that we set out to achieve at the start of the season," he said.
"There’s a lot of work to do but the players are certainly over the fact but we got beat once in nine games and conceded three goals in nine games, unfortunately all in the same day."
Watch Southend v Stevenage live on Sky Sports 5 HD on Thursday from 7.30pm.
