AFC Telford United skipper Stuart Whitehead admits he has had to play through the pain barrier to launch his comeback.

Whitehead’s return to action has coincided with the Bucks keeping three consecutive clean sheets and picking up seven out of a possible nine points.

But the experienced centre-back had to defy medical advice to play away to Gloucester on Bank Holiday Monday and admits his troublesome knee is still far from fully fixed.

“It’s not totally healed yet and it’s just when I strike a ball over 20 yards that it gives me pain,” he said.

“I get a shooting pain and it’s really uncomfortable, but I just have to improvise a bit and I’m getting through it.

“Rudy (Farquharson, the club physio) and the club doctor both said it would be best had I rested it for the Gloucester game, but I think it may be like this for another month so I have to play through it.”

Whitehead has been delighted to contribute to the side’s strong defensive showing in their last three Blue Square North outings.

But he refuses to draw any connection between his own return and the run of results that have followed.

The 32-year-old has featured in the 1-0 wins at Gainsborough and Gloucester as well as the 0-0 draw at home to Ilkeston.

“It’s a nice feeling to know I’ve participated in those clean sheets,” said Whitehead. “Having said that, I’m certainly not taking the credit.

“I think teams have had a similar number of chances to those that we played in the first few games but they’ve not converted them.

“There’s certainly a little bit of luck involved and it’s a fine line. You win leagues by having the strongest defence, and we’re not conceding too many.

“The disappointing thing is that we’re not creating enough chances right now – particularly as we have more creative figures in our team than we did least season.”

By CHRIS HUDSON