CHRIS Shephard’s ongoing back injury has limited his chances to start crucial games for the Terras in recent weeks, but he is prepared to do all he can to have an impact with three league fixtures remaining.
The Weymouth playmaker has been plagued by a problem which he believes relates all the way back to before pre-season, when his preparations for the campaign were wiped out, due to a freak accident involving a rope swing snapping on his honeymoon in Bali.
Explaining his current injury situation, the former Exeter City man told Echosport: “It’s been my back for a long time now, it’s been about two or three months but I just have to manage it.
“I have got to a stage where I can play 30 minutes all out and I don’t feel a thing, it’s just when I play over a longer period of time it seizes up again.”
He added: “That accident in the summer put me off of pre-season. I then hit it hard and started games, the pitches got heavy and showed weakness in my core, which would have been built up in pre-season.
“My deep core muscles need strengthening and it’s something I need to work on in the off season and, I am already working on it now.
“It’s something I am going to manage throughout the rest of my career just to stop that problem from happening again.”
Shephard is expected to play a part in the Terras’ vital home encounter against Merthyr Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium tomorrow (3pm), a game Weymouth really have to win to keep their play-off hopes alive.
“At the moment the lads are doing really well,” Shephard added.
“They seem to be dominating games in the last month or two. That provides a great platform for me to come on and try and express myself and give it a good go.”
Terras’ boss Jason Matthews added: “Every game is our biggest game of the season now.
“Dean (Evans) has served his suspension so he is available now. Jake Wannell should have recovered from illness and Jordan Copp should be fit again after a groin injury.”
