City boss hopes to have midfielder back after festive period

CITY boss Steve Castle says he is encouraged by the progress being made by midfielder Sol Shields following a long lay off with injury.

Shields ruptured his Achilles tendon in February and after nine months on the sidelines made his comeback in City’s Herts Senior Cup defeat to Hatfield Town last month.

Despite showing an understandable lack of match sharpness, the former Leyton Orient midfielder has shown touches of class during his subsequent appearances for the reserves and boss Castle is targeting a return to first action after Christmas for the midfielder.

“Sol’s had a horrendous injury and is still some way short of match fitness,” Castle revealed to the Herts Advertiser.

“I think the other side of Christmas we might start to get some first team football out of him. I was pleasantly surprised at how much progress he’s made and his return will be a boost.”