BARRY Woolley is ahead of schedule in his bid to return to first team action following a month out with cracked ribs.

Worcester City's imposing 6ft 4in central defender emerged unscathed from last weekend's 5-3 reserves win against Bedworth and could be in contention for Saturday's league clash at Nuneaton Borough.

The 24-year-old has not played since picking up hairline fractures in two ribs during the 4-0 defeat at Crawley Town on August 30 but reports his fitness is good and is raring to go.

"I played at right back in the reserves just in case I got any whacks but I still marked the big men at corners and there was no problem or aggravation at all," he said.

"I did some more running last night and there's no reaction or stiffness.

"It would be nice to be involved in some way at Nuneaton, even it if was on the bench, but if the gaffer thinks I need another game in the reserves that's fine.

Schedule

"I'm still ahead of schedule because I'd expected to be out for six weeks and Saturday's reserve match was only the fourth week so if I'm playing the reserves it's still another match under my belt."

Woolley also revealed he had been wrongly credited with Stewart Hadley's goal in the win against Bedworth.

"There's been a bit of a mix-up over the goal because everybody's been asking me about it and what it was like but it was Stewart Hadley that scored," he said.

"Stewart volleyed it in but it looked as though it came off me but it didn't. If I'd been a proper centre forward I would have claimed it though," he added.

n Worcester entertain Pershore at St George's Lane tonight (7.30) in the Midland Floodlit Youth South Division.

Worcester City's reserve team have a rearranged league fixture at Rushall Olympic on Saturday.