HAYES & Yeading boss Garry Haylock says he will not rush fans favourite Esmond James back from injury in a gamble to beat relegation.

The 21-year-old is edging back to full fitness after being out all season with a cruciate ligament injury that he sustained at the end of the last campaign at Crawley.

Pacy wide-man James could therefore offer a different option on the right flank for Hayes & Yeading during the relegation run-in.

“It is a possibility, but we are not putting any pressure on him,” said Haylock. “He is three weeks away from being involved in it and then he needs games.

“He might run out of time because I am not going to throw him into a relegation battle and ask him to get his fitness.

“If he does return then that is great, but if he doesn't, then I am not counting on him changing our season around.

“I just want the lad back as he has been to hell and back. He was a young lad who was doing well and then through no fault of his own he gets a bad injury.

“It took a while for him to get an operation sorted and he has worked really hard, our physio cannot believe how well he has done, but if he comes back this season it is a bonus.”

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