Wesolowski glad of extra break

Photo: PICTURE by ANTHONY MILLER

NO PLAY . . . Athletic groundsman Chris Bailey (left), Football League assessor Eddie Evans and Athletic chief executive Neil Joy take a close look at the Boundary Park pitch.

FREEZING weather may have caused frustration around Boundary Park, but at least one player was glad of the break.

Athletic’s home match against Leyton Orient was called off at lunchtime on Friday due to a frozen playing surface. Five other fixtures in npower League One also went unplayed.

With no game, Athletic midfielder James Wesolowski used the time effectively as he bids to ready himself for two more outings — starting with the game at Stevenage tomorrow, should Broadhall Way be passed fit for action, then at Brentford on Saturday — before having surgery.

“It’s not feeling too bad,” said Wesolowski, who was able to do light weights work to aid the shoulder he dislocated twice in the space of less than a month.

“It is still vulnerable to popping out until I get the operation, but at the moment I am strapping it up to keep it in place.”

After the operation to repair the damaged joint, Wesolowksi has been told he can expect a three-month gap from playing.

However, he is still targeting a return before the culmination of the campaign if everything goes according to plan.

“The surgeon said to me I can start light training after six weeks and then it is another six weeks after that when I am into full training," said the 24-year-old, who is out of contract with Athletic in the summer. “My aim is to be available for one or two games at the end of the season.”

Stevenage have had their pitch covered since Wednesday and were today expected to start to clear the snow which has come to rest on top.

Ultimately, the playing surface underneath may not prove to be as big an obstacle to the game being played as the surrounding areas of the ground and an inspection is likely to place before Athletic set off south tomorrow morning.

Should it get the green light, Wesolowski is expecting a tough battle against a side who drew 1-1 at Boundary Park in September.

“They are doing very well this year," he said. "They are an efficient side who know their style. They play percentage football and we know it will be a tough game — just as it was when they came to our place.

“They give it everything, 100-per-cent. We know we will have to go there and do likewise to get a result.”