NEWCASTLE United were last night still waiting anxiously to learn the full extent of the ankle injury which led to striker Carl Cort being stretchered off in Tuesday's friendly at Exeter.

Fears that Cort had suffered a break were allayed following X-rays, but United remain concerned that the £7m man may have ligament damage.

''Carl is still undergoing scans and tests, so the extent of the injury is still not known,'' a club spokesman said yesterday.

''It's something we hope to get more news on, if not tomorrow, then by early next week. It's more awful luck for the lad.''

Cort, who joined United from Wimbledon last summer, missed most of the season with a hamstring problem which required surgery and meant a straight six-month stretch on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have been running renewed checks on Leeds striker Michael Bridges in reserve-team action.

The former Sunderland frontman, ruled out for much of the season with an ankle injury, is one of a clutch of Tyneside-born players, including Newcastle old boys Robbie Elliott, Steve Watson, Lee Clark and Alan Thompson, being linked with the Magpies.

l Sunderland duo Julio Arca and Nicolas Medina have linked up in Argentina's Under-20 squad for next month's World Youth championship, writes JACK LESLIE. Medina, 19, signed for Sunderland last week in a £3.5m deal after being encouraged to join the Black Cats by Arca.

Now the pair are backing Argentina's bid to reach the final in Buenos Aires on July 8 - the day before Sunderland report for pre-season training.

l Darlington chairman George Reynolds is holding more talks with freed Middlesbrough midfielder Neil Maddison today, writes RAY SIMPSON. "We are hopeful that he'll come," said Reynolds. "We've been speaking for a week and we've made him a good offer." That offer is understood to be one of the best in the history of the club, but Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke are also in the hunt.

Reynolds also revealed that Quakers are chasing two more new faces - a midfielder and a striker. One is from the First Division, and the other from the Second, but any move for Kevin Ball is a non-starter because of the former Sunderland hard man's wage demands.