CHRIS Smith has not ruled out the possibility of at least making the bench for the visit of Workington on Saturday.

The Worcester City skipper has been out of action since hobbling off 15 minutes from the end of the 3-0 defeat against AFC Telford on December 29.

Smith is struggling with ligament damage to the same ankle he injured towards the end of last season.

Richard Dryden has drafted in assistant boss Carl Heeley and Kidderminster Harriers loanee Jonathan Munday to plug the gap alongside Ryan Clarke in the centre of defence in the last two games.

Munday also played in the weekend's abandonment at Nuneaton and can expect to start when Workington visit St George's Lane on Saturday.

However, Smith is gradually returning to fitness and hopes he might be fit to make the bench at the weekend before pushing to start when City travel to Southport seven days later.

The captain said: "I thought I might be in contention for the Saturday game just gone but I have only just started jogging. I am going to try and step it up this week and may be in contention for Saturday but it might be 50/50.

"Starting might be a bit too much. If the game was today, I wouldn't be able to play. Hopefully, I can have a full week's training the following week and be up for a first-team place."

The 26-year-old, who has made 23 starts this season, admits he is raring to get back on the pitch but is wary of rushing back too soon and causing further damage.

He said: "It's the same ankle but the pain is in a slightly different place. It's restricting me when I run and it's my favoured foot.

"To be injured is the worst because I go and watch every game and watching is horrible. You just want to get out there and play and you know you can't.

"If I had any chance of playing I would but, with ankles, if you play it can make it worse and a three to six-week injury could be a couple of months."

Smith is also keen to join up alongside Munday so Clarke can move to his more favoured full-back position now that Kevin Spencer has returned to Kettering.

He said: "I am quite looking forward to playing next to Jon and then Ryan can get back to his position on the right.

"I think Ryan has been one of our best players all season and he's been playing out of position.

"He is a full-back and one of the best in the league. The quicker we get him there, the better it is for the team but I like playing next to him."

If Smith does return to the side sometime soon, he could well be involved should City get a second bite of the cherry against Nuneaton.

He added: "Hopefully, we can have a bit of luck, get that replayed and start the game as we did in the second-half.

"We opened them up a few times and, but for the stoppages, we might have got something out of it."