Kemal Izzet is ready to play through the pain barrier to help Colchester United into the Second Division promotion play-offs.

Ready to play through the pain barrier - Kemal Izzet

X-rays have revealed that the all-action midfielder has fractured a bone in his right wrist.

At best the livewire, former Charlton Athletic trainee will be fit to play in Saturday's important home match with Chesterfield sporting a lightweight fibreglass cast, which is approved by the Football Association.

At worst, if the fracture is really serious, Izzet could be out of action for anything approaching four to six weeks if a heavyweight cast is required to rectify the injury.

But typical of the spirited 21-year-old youngster, Izzet said today: "If they tell me I have to wear a heavyweight cast then I will ask them to wait until the end of the season.

"I don't kick the ball with my wrist and I've already lost too much time because of injury.

"I don't want to lose any more and if playing on with a fractured bone in my wrist means we have a chance of reaching the play-offs that's what I will be telling the gaffer I want to do."

Izzet revealed that he first damaged the wrist when falling awkwardly in the U's 2-0 home win over Reading in early October last year - almost four months ago.

He said: "It only hurts when I fall on it awkwardly, in fact it sometimes hurts so much that it brings a tear to my eye."

Izzet's fighting spirit surely comes as sweet music to U's manager Steve Whitton's ears as he strives to overcome the sudden blow of losing his experienced captain Simon Clark, who had his contract cancelled by mutual consent 24 hours earlier.

Midfielder Bobby Bowry, who limped out of Saturday's goalless draw with Tranmere at half-time nursing a hamstring injury, has an outside chance of being fit to play against Chesterfield.

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Published Wednesday January 16, 2002