Kabba injury lift for Latics

Steven Kabba

ATHLETIC have received a timely boost on the injury front as striker Steven Kabba is expected to return to first-team action sooner than first feared.

The experienced frontman, who is suffering from a hamstring injury, could be back within a fortnight after it was originally thought he would be sidelined for up to a month.

The 28-year-old, who is on loan from Championship outfit Watford, picked up the injury after he fell awkwardly in training last Friday.

Kabba travelled with the team to Leyton Orient believing the injury was not too serious.

But the hamstring stiffened overnight and when he got up at the club’s London hotel on Saturday morning it was evident he would be unable to feature.

The initial prognosis was not good. Kabba was told he could be out for a month, which would have effectively ruled him out of the remainder of the Coca-Cola League One campaign.

But rather than being involved in a race against time to recover for the final week of the season, Kabba could be back for the Easter programme when Athletic make the trip north to Carlisle United on Good Friday and play host to Crewe on Easter Monday.

It is a much-needed tonic for Athletic, who are short on firepower after they allowed Lee Hughes to join Championship side Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

Youngsters Lewis Alessandra and Deane Smalley were left to lead the line in last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient.

Danny Whitaker, meanwhile, has been named in the Coca-Cola League One team of the week.

The midfielder scored at both Cheltenham and Leyton Orient to take his tally for the season to eight.

Meanwhile, Millwall missed the chance to narrow the gap on the Coca-Cola League One automatic promotion places last night.

They went down 1-0 at home to Colchester United, while Yeovil moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 defeat of fellow strugglers Northampton Town.

Huddersfield Town came from behind to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1.