Skipper Jimmy Turner is preparing to play through the pain barrier in order to lead AFC Telford United through their injury crisis.Boss Rob Smith is hopeful Turner will shrug off a knee injury that has troubled him all season in order to feature against Hyde United in Saturday’s Blue Square North clash at the New Bucks Head.

His presence is vital to the Bucks, who have up to seven players ruled out through injury, and wing-back Lee Vaughan is suspended.

“Jimmy’s struggling and it’s nothing new – it’s wear and tear that we’re hoping he can continue to play with until the end of the season,” said Smith.

“He was feeling it at the end of the Boston game and we’ll see how he is tonight but, knowing him, he will want to play. It might need a minor operation in the summer to clean it up.

“He’s so important to us – he’s been a virtual ever-present this season even though he’s had this niggling away at him since the start.

“He epitomises everything I like about a player. He’s taken the captaincy and he’s held it on merit.

“He’s a true leader on the pitch from the way he plays. He puts his head in where it hurts and he chips in with the odd goal.”

Striker Justin Marsden will also be back in the fold on Saturday after getting an outing for Stratford in the Polymac Midland Alliance last night.

Marsden scored Stratford’s goal in a 1-1 draw with Shropshire side Shifnal, and Smith added: “He got 90 minutes and he was rusty, but that’s the reason he went there. We’ll try to keep getting him games in midweek for a bit and then involve him with us on weekends, and he could still have a part to play this season.”

Meanwhile, new loan signing Dave Roberts will meet his Telford team-mates at training tonight ahead of his debut against Hyde.

It will be a one-off though, with 19-year-old Roberts expected to train with parent club Burscough in the week over the course of the rest of the season.