Portsmouth boss hits out at 'reckless challenge' amid concussion fears for ex-Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading man

The veteran defender was poleaxed during an aerial clash with Ellis Harrison just 10 seconds into the encounter at Port Vale.

Although Morrison continued, he had to be taken off after 10 minutes having reported double vision.

He was replaced by Clark Robertson, who slotted alongside Sean Raggett to help the Blues claim a 1-0 victory at Vale Park and League One’s top spot.

And Cowley was not happy with ex-Pompey striker Harrison, who was marking his fourth outing since an August switch from Fleetwood.

The Blues boss told The News: ‘He’s a bit bruised and battered, he has some double vision. It was a nasty reckless challenge really, I don’t want to say anything more about it.

‘It was crazy, a reckless challenge, the referee could have managed it better than he did.

‘There’s a massive foul just here from the kick-off – then a crazy challenge. But it happens in football, it’s a contact game.

‘Michael’s a big boy and will dust himself off. He’s got a bit of a headache, but he’s not too bad.

‘He had double vision and couldn’t clear his right eye, so the protocol says that you can’t take any risk. We will see how that settles.

‘Michael’s a tough boy, he has played hundreds of games at centre-half – and you don’t do that at this level without being tough.

‘So it would have taken a lot for him to come off, but he wasn’t right.’

The Blues’ medical team will now assess the full extent of Morrison’s head injury.

Potentially he could be ruled out of next weekend’s visit of fellow high-fliers Peterborough to Fratton Park.

The Posh shipped in two goals in the final few minutes at Pride Park to slump to a 2-1 defeat, leaving them in fourth.

Cowley added: ‘We will follow protool, which is very clear.

‘We must see if it’s concussion or just a blow to the head – and from there we will follow protocol.’