Relief over Young injury fear

Goalkeeper Ryan Young has been given the green light to continue between the posts for AFC Telford United - despite playing with a broken knuckle.

The in-form No 1 first picked up the injury back in October and had started to feel it over the Christmas period, so much so that manager Rob Smith had been preparing to lose him for a month.

Telford firefighter Steve Taylor, who deputised for Young at Hyde earlier in the season, had been lined up as a stand-in for Saturday's cash with Workington.

But the former Hednesford keeper was given the surprising news that he can continue when he went to see a consultant at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford today.

"It was very unexpected because we'd written him off," said Smith, whose side maintained their Blue Square North play-off challenge with a 4-1 thrashing of Tamworth at the New Bucks Head yesterday.

"They reckon it's not something that needs pinning or that can force him to stop playing.

"It was after the Tamworth game on Boxing Day when it really flared up, but it's only when he punches the ball that he feels it.

"He's not had too much to do in the last couple of games and he's got through those okay. We'll have to be careful in training not to blast too many balls at him, that's all.

"Steve's a bit disappointed because he was looking forward to coming in, but he's there to help us in the future.

"Ryan's the man that knows the defence, though, and we want him in there. He's been terrific this season and, even yesterday, they were lumping balls at him and he handled it really well.

"I think this is the first good bit of injury news we've had since I came to Telford, I've got used to hearing the worst up to now so this is a great start to the New Year."

Assistant manager Larry Chambers was delighted with the display against Tamworth - a victory secured thanks to a first goal for the club from Jon Adams, two for Matty Lewis and one for Michael Husbands.

"It was a good all-round performance. I thought we played some fantastic stuff at times," he said.

"As at Worcester, I thought we might have won by six or seven if we'd taken our chances, but I'm not going to be greedy - 4-1 is a great result and we've had a great Christmas.

"We've picked up 10 points out of 12 and that's fantastic. We seem to be getting better as well."