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Glen Williams

Steve Morison delivers mixed Cardiff City injury bulletin as duo cleared to play at Middlesbrough but star still 'miles away'

Callum O'Dowda and Rubin Colwill are both fit for Cardiff City's midweek clash against Middlesbrough.

The duo were big losses when they were unavailable for the Bluebirds' last match against Millwall, which they lost 2-0, having both enjoyed relatively bright starts to the season.

O'Dowda has been directly involved in three of Cardiff's four goals so far this season, while Colwill has tended to have an impact after coming on from the bench, although he did appear to struggle in the defeat by Luton Town.

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That might have been a bridge too far for Colwill, Morison believes, with the Wales international struggling for fitness after a stop-start pre-season.

"All are back on the training ground and all OK at the minute," Morison said of O'Dowda, Colwill and Ebou Adams. "Callum had an impingement in his hip, which needed a couple of days. Because it was a three-game week it all came a bit quickly.

"Rubin just had an overload, he did too much. Should have managed him better, shouldn’t have played him against Luton. I should have kept him out and he would have been OK for the Saturday. But he’s trained fully since.

"From a fitness point of view, he is way behind the rest of the group. He was excellent against Preston on Saturday. Took him out of the game on the Tuesday to manage him and we didn’t give him long enough rest. We should have taken him out of the game completely and kept him fresh for Saturday. We live and learn."

In Adams' case, his recovery from a ripped pectoral muscle has been far quicker than many might have thought it was going to be.

He is back training with the squad and is delighted to be there, according to Morison, but the Gambia midfielder is still some way away from making his competitive Bluebirds debut.

"He is miles away," the manager said of Adams. "He did a bit of pre-season, but he has had 10-12 weeks off. He has been working hard on the training ground with the S&C (strength and conditioning coach).

"He will need to be managed correctly and hopefully we will see him after the international break."

And it's mixed news regarding City's two crocked strikers, too. Kion Etete, the summer signing from Tottenham, is back on the training ground and working his way back to full fitness, however Welsh youngster Isaak Davies' return-to-play timescale appears to be getting no closer.

"Kion is back on the grass with the S&C, working through that from today," Morison added. "He just needs to tick boxes now over the next week and he can obviously filter back into training.

On Davies, the Bluebirds boss said: "We won't see him (before the international break). He is a few weeks away yet."

Cardiff take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium at 7.45pm on Tuesday, September 13, with the fixture being confirmed by the EFL on Monday morning after last weekend's encounter with Hull City was postponed due to the passing on the Queen.

In a statement on Monday, the EFL said: "The EFL fixture programme will return as scheduled from Tuesday 13 September, with tributes to be paid to Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at grounds around the country.

"A minute’s silence will be held before matches, with black armbands to be worn by participants, flags to be flown at half-mast and the National Anthem to be played in stadiums.

"With a national policing plan now in operation, the League and Clubs will continue to work with forces in respect of any challenges that may emerge regarding policing of specific fixtures.

"Consideration to individual circumstances will be made on a case-by-case basis, in line with standard match Safety Advisory Group (SAG) protocols."

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