BLUEBIRDS boss Mark Collier is wary of counting his chickens too soon but has his fingers crossed that his Chippenham Town squad is easing back to full strength.

Collier’s side has been beset by injury problems all season but with a clutch of Bluebirds men returning for last weekend’s win over Histon, most notably defender Matt Coupe, the Hardenhuish Park manager is finally close to beginning to have something close to full creative licence when it comes to putting 11 players on the pitch.

Long-term absentees Alan Griffin and Lee Phillips, as well as Ben McCready and Darren Edwards, are currently Chippenham’s only injury worries, and Collier hopes that there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

“You know that things can change in an instant but we’ve definitely got a lot more options available to us now,” said Collier.

“We probably brought Matt Coupe back a week earlier than expected but he was confident that he could play and he grew into the game – the quickest way to get him match-fit will be by playing him and his enthusiasm, whether it be in the dressing room or on the team coach, is infectious.

“Jordan Roberts and Michael Pook passed fitness tests and played on Saturday and we’ll have Luke Ballinger back from futsal and Greg Tindle back from his one-match ban this weekend too.

“Ben McCready picked up a hairline ankle fracture at work a few weeks ago, so that’s why he’s not been around. Darren Edwards failed a fitness test with a bit of a calf problem but hopefully he can recover.

“Bryan Smith was also on the bench last weekend and he’s feeling a lot more confident about his nose now.”

Collier added: “Ryan Campbell came on again for us at the weekend and we had a young lad called Charlie Norman on the bench, as cover for Coupe.

“He plays for the youth team and has done well when he’s come in for Park a few times, so his reward was a chance to be in the first-team squad.”

James Guthrie’s curling 30-yard free-kick brought Histon’s unbeaten run to a shuddering halt on Saturday as Town claimed a 1-0 success.

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