SAM Allardyce finally received some good news on the injury front today when he learned that Mark Fish could be back in harness within a week!

"Mark's problem isn't as bad as we first thought," the Wanderers' boss confirmed after checks on the defender's ankle injury revealed bruising rather than the serious ligament damage that was feared when he limped out of the Worthington Cup defeat at Macclesfield on Tuesday.

"That's obviously good news for us and he may, at the worst, just miss a game or two."

Allardyce has also had favourable reports from the treatment room with Gareth Farrelly and Mike Whitlow - both ruled out of the cup tie - back in the running for Saturday's trip to Huddersfield.

Farrelly looks certain to return in midfield after recovering from a calf injury but Whitlow will need further checks on the shoulder he damaged in the Bank Holiday win at Tranmere.

"Mike's shoulder is still causing us some concern but he has a chance of being fit. We need him because, with Mark being out, he's someone who could play in that position."

The fact that Fish, one of the most influential players in the Reebok ranks, could be back next week - either for Tuesday night's game at Grimsby or for Saturday's home game against Portsmouth - is a major boost to Wanderers' hopes of maintaining their impressive start to the season. An early diagnosis after he'd limped off at Macclesfield suggested ligament damage, which could have kept him out for up to 10 weeks!

"There was nothing more apparent on Tuesday that, after Mark went off, we struggled badly," the manager acknowledged. "In fact the team virtually disintegrated - beyond all recognition."

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