CHRIS Shephard is targeting a return to the Terras’ squad when they host Chesham United tomorrow (7.45pm).
The former Exeter City youngster was forced to sit out of Weymouth’s 2-0 derby loss at Poole Town last time out, after picking up a niggling back concern.
Shephard admitted he was in “agony” throughout Weymouth’s 3-2 win over Kettering Town last month, in which he scored after just three minutes, but the problem was initially triggered following the 1-0 win over Cambridge City a game previously.
Explaining the injury, the Terras’ playmaker told Echosport: “It’s been slow progress because I have had a few issues with tightness in muscles in different areas, which is causing the pain in the back.
“Because I missed out on pre-season and I have been non-stop until now, with the heavy surfaces, my muscles just got tighter and tighter and it just so happened that it made my back go into spasm.
“It’s been a case of managing those areas to ease off my back.”
Giving an update on his recovery progress, he added: “I half-trained on Tuesday and three-quarter trained on Thursday. It was a little bit sore after then but nothing too bad.
“I wasn’t expected to be involved on Saturday (which was postponed at Hungerford).
“That was the plan, just so I had those extra couple of days to be involved this Tuesday.
“I just have to keep on top of things until then and, after that, it’s just a case of managing it.”
Commenting further on the initial pain, Shephard added: “Literally after the game (against Cambridge) I could barely walk, it was that painful.
“I was in agony for most of the game against Kettering really.
“If you score a goal in the first three minutes you are on a high, the adrenaline runs through you, you want to keep playing well and maybe get another goal.
“It got me through the game but just got a little bit too much towards the end.”
