McCarthy defends opening goal

Last updated : 28 February 2005 By Michael Morris
"Was anybody aware that it was a head injury? If play goes on for a long time you'll hear all the crowd shouting but I thought it was in an instant that the ball dropped, got to Andy Welsh, got put in and we scored.

"I think we're taking political correctness far too far on the pitch. Nobody knew how bad Rhys Weston was. I hope he's OK, but I'm not bothered - we scored off it. It's happened to us.

"I wouldn't tell my players to kick the ball out straight away, I want to win the game. Nobody knows he's got a cut. If one of my players stopped and had a look, saw he'd got a cut and said `kick it out', I'd kick him in the b******s! I'm delighted we scored off it. Unlucky."

The injury to Rhys forced him off the field after just 5 minutes. He came back from the North East with 6 stitches in the cut caused when Graham Kavanagh kicked him as they both challenged for the same ball.