Jason Dozzell is still hoping to play first-team football for Colchester United again before the end of the season.

But the former Ipswich and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, who is struggling to shrug off the effects of a foot operation, admitted yesterday (Thursday) time is rapidly running out for him.

The U's have only five Second Division games left, including four in eight days at the end of the season which is only 15 days away.

Dozzell began his long-awaited comeback in the reserves' 3-0 Avon Insurance Combination defeat at Portsmouth on Wednesday.

And although it was the former England Under-21 international's first run-out at any competitive level since the Boxing Day defeat at Millwall, he has not given up hope of playing Division Two football again this season.

He said: "If my foot settles down I will still have a chance of making it. But I played half of the reserve game at Portsmouth and I have to admit it wasn't great."

Jason Dozzell - struggling to recover from a toe operation at the start of the year

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.