WORCESTER City striker Mark Owen is to have surgery to remove a pin from his leg.

The pin is one of three inserted with a plate in his broken fibula which the St George's Lane favourite sustained in an FA Cup clash at St Blazey in October 2001. Owen is unlikely to have the remaining pins or plate removed unless a major problem develops.

"By all accounts the lower pin is protruding a bit and would be better out, so it's a case of having the operation as soon as possible," said Owen.

In the meantime the 25-year-old is expected to have 45 minutes in the reserves on Saturday as he bids to return from a stomach muscle injury that has ruled him out since Christmas.

"The physio wants me to do light jogging this week and then have 45 minutes on Saturday," he added.

"The lower abdominal wall has been causing quite a few problems but hopefully it has been sorted out."

Defender Mark Blount completes his loan period with Saturday's trip to Grantham but manager John Barton has still to decide whether to try and keep the Burton Albion man for a further month.