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Lafferty sent for scan on injured back

McCoist has new injury worry as Rangers look to bounce back from defeat against Kilmarnock

Gordan Tynan
Wednesday 30 November 2011 01:00 GMT
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The Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty has been sent for a scan on his back, but their manager Ally McCoist is optimistic the problem is not serious. Lafferty missed last night's friendly in Hamburg after coming off in the first half of the Scottish Premier League leaders' 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday after the back problem flared up.

Injured Carlos Bocanegra, Alejandro Bedoya, David Weir, Sasa Papac, Lee Wallace and Steven Naismith also missed the trip to Germany, while Dorin Goian, Steven Davis and Nikica Jelavic have also been given extra recovery time ahead of Saturday's clash with Dunfermline.

McCoist believes Lafferty's condition is improving quickly. The manager told www.rangers.co.uk: "We'll know more about Kyle later today because he is getting a scan but it's not something we are overly concerned about. It's a standard thing the medical staff do in general with one or two particular injuries and that's the case here.

"Hopefully Kyle will be OK. His back had certainly calmed down a little bit yesterday morning and we'll have a better idea of where we are later."

Peterborough, meanwhile, claim that Manchester United are interested in Ryan Bennett, who has developed a reputation as one of the most promising centre-halves in the Championship since joining the club from Grimsby Town in 2009.

Peterborough's manager, Darren Ferguson, has confirmed that his father Sir Alex, is keen on the 21-year-old, who made his full debut for the England Under-21s team earlier this season.

"I spoke to my dad and he likes Ryan Bennett, always has. I can understand the interest," Darren Ferguson told Posh TV on the club's official website. "It's no secret that a lot of clubs are looking at Ryan."

The Leyton Orient manager, Russell Slade, has signed a contract extension to keep him at Brisbane Road until the end of the 2013-14 season. Slade has committed his future to the O's having initially taken the job in April 2010, when he immediately guided the east London club to safety in League One.

Last season saw Orient claim their highest league finish in 18 years as well as reach the fifth round of the FA Cup under Slade's stewardship.

Leyton Orient's chairman, Barry Hearn, told the club's official website: "I'm absolutely delighted that Russell has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

"He has shown himself to be an excellent manager during his time with us, first keeping us in the division and then delivering our best season for a generation."

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