‘He hasn’t done a lot of training... it was just precautionary’ - Lambert on Norwood’s absence for Blackpool draw

Town players celebrate after Gwion Edwards early goal. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

The forward underwent a groin operation at the start of October and missed a little more than two weeks of action, before returning to start the victories over Southend and Rochdale, scoring twice in the first of those.

He only played the final five minutes of the first staging of Town's FA Cup game with Lincoln before then sitting out the replay and the EFL Trophy clash with Colchester.

But Lambert said he didn't want to risk Norwood in this game given a lack of training in the build-up, while admitting the striker and Kane Vincent-Young, who had a similar operation recently and also missed today's game, could be fit for Tuesday's top-of-the-table clash with Wycombe Wanderers.

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"Him and Kane, roughly, had the same kind of little (groin) operation," Lambert said.

"The two of them are doing really well, but I just thought this one came a little early. James hasn't done a lot of training so I didn't want to take a chance, risk it and then he comes out for three or four games. It was just precautionary. I'll see how they both are for Tuesday."