The Football League Paper

BATTLER HEARNS TONS OF RESPECT

- By Joshua Richards

MANSFIELD boss Adam Murray has labelled striker Liam Hearn “superhuman” as he continues to recover from a severe knee injury suffered in August faster than anticipate­d.

The 29-year-old hobbled off 16 minutes into his full debut against Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup with a cartilage injury.

The ex-Alfreton and Grimsby hitman was expected to be out for the rest of the season, but Murray says he has been staggered by Hearn’s remarkable recovery from the setback

Murray said: “Touch wood, and I’m not going to put any pressure on him, but he’s flying. The bloke, as a human being, is some kind of creature I’ve never seen before. He’s like a superhuman.

“He’s non-stop. He’s nearly in before me in the mornings. He’s in early and he leaves late; he gives everything he’s got to get fit.”

Hearn has previous when it comes to serious injuries, having had last season ruined by a cruciate knee ligament complaint and suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon just 16 months before.

“I think this game is that cruel, sometimes you don’t get what you deserve,” added Murray .“We’ve seen that with some of our performanc­es, but for the individual, he needs a slice of luck now in his career and his life. Whatever we can do to help out, we will.”

 ??  ?? RECOVERY: Liam Hearn
RECOVERY: Liam Hearn

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