No serious head injury for Lynch after being knocked unconscious

Initial hospital tests have indicated that Joel Lynch has not suffered a serious head injury.

There had been major concern for the 32-year-old on Saturday when he was knocked unconscious in the latter stages of the 2-0 defeat toPortsmouthatFrattonPark on Saturday afternoon.

Lynch had collided with goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin as the pair combined to clear a long ball through the middle.

Play continued for a brief period but once the referee brought it to a halt, Lynch immediately received medical attention. He left the ground on a stretcher and was taken to straight to hospital.

He will continue to be closely monitored and undergo tests to determine whether he has suffered any further injuries in the collision.

Phil Parkinson is likely to give a full update on his progress later this week.

Parkinson had confirmed after the game that he had regained consciousness before leaving Fratton Park.

“He was knocked unconscious and has gone to hospital,” Parkinson said. “We don't really know the extent of his injury yet and we just hope he's alright.”

• Sunderland midfielder George Dobson is precariously close to a two-game ban – after picking up another yellow card at Portsmouth.

EFL rules state that players will receive a two-game ban after receiving 10 yellow cards in the league, and Dobson is now approaching that threshold. However, after a recent rule change by the Football Association, the midfielder has some extra leeway as a suspension approaches.

He has received 11 yellow cards throughout the season, but two of those were in the December draw with Blackpool where Dobson was dismissed and, as such, they are not included in the EFL’s calculations.

That leaves Dobson on nine yellow cards, however, one of those was in the EFL Trophy win over Grimsby Town. Recent FA rule changes mean that bookings are now “competition-specific”

– meaning that a League One ban can only be handed out for cautions received in league games.

Therefore, Dobson is technically on eight bookings in League One, leaving him two cautions away from a ban.

Chris Maguire (seven bookings), Max Power (five) and Conor McLaughlin (five) are all also in danger of a two-game suspension should they hit 10 bookings.