RICHARD Naylor last night spoke of his relief after an X-ray showed no broken bones in a hand injury and he will be available for the Blues trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

By Derek Davis

RICHARD Naylor last night spoke of his relief after an X-ray showed no broken bones in a hand injury and he will be available for the Blues trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Naylor was taken to hospital with a swollen hand after it had been stepped on midway through the first half against QPR but was given the all-clear.

He said: “It is still sore and swollen but, thankfully, the X-rays showed there is no break. It looks like it is just badly bruised but should be fine for Saturday, which is a relief.”

Midfielder Gavin Williams will be further assessed today after limping out of the game with a dead leg that the Blues are hoping will swiftly liven up.

Lewis Price needed three stitches to a head wound after being trodden on Paul Furlong but, headache apart, is not suffering any long-term effects and will take his place for the trip to Yorkshire.

Blues boss Joe Royle was livid that the QPR striker was not red-carded for the fourth-minute incident. He said: “Their second goal is scored by a fella that should not have been on the pitch. If you stand on someone's head, then you have to go.

“Lewis needed stitches and there was no need for him to go over him, and as he has done he has dropped a foot, and the video is very clear on that.

“At that stage, we are feeling that the world is against us. We have not had a break in a long time. QPR have come in our half three times and scored twice, while we have had three corners cleared off the line.

“It looked like it was going to be one of those days but we kept going and you can't doubt out honesty or fitness levels.

“It was a terrific ball from Jim (Magilton) and a fairytale goal for the kid. If we had lost that game it would have been totally unjust. I would have been devastated, we deserved more than a point.”

The Blues are today looking to run the rule over another trialist, with much-travelled 29-year-old Sammy Youssof the first of a raft of hopefuls looking to impress over the next couple of weeks.

Players from Finland, France and Norway among the overseas contingent due at the training ground.