County hotshot feared his season was over (From South Wales Argus)

County hotshot feared his season was over

7:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Sport By Michael Pearlman

THE good news keeps on coming for Newport County after doctors allayed fears yesterday that striker Aaron O’Connor’s season could be over.

The Exiles have recorded back-to-back victories as well as completing the signing of Rhys Griffiths and have also indicated to the Argus that talks over securing their long-term future at Rodney Parade are proceeding well.

Even rival results have gone the Exiles’ way with both Forest Green Rovers and Grimsby defeated on Tuesday night leaving Newport with the chance to return to the top of the table if they win their games in hand.

However, County were privately becoming increasingly concerned over striker O’Connor who has already missed close to five weeks with a thigh injury.

O’Connor was scheduled this week for a one-month check-up and that was complicated by the fact he’s developed a haematoma (a body of blood that builds and looks like scarring).

Manager Justin Edinburgh was cagey about O’Connor’s prognosis earlier this week but after a consultation yesterday, the Conference top scorer made it clear he’s still on track to return within two weeks.

“I had my four week scan on Friday and it showed I have a haematoma, which is a set-back, potentially,” he told the Argus.

“There are two ways of treating it depending of the severity of it and the second is a small bit of surgery to disperse the blood. The first is just rest. Mine was quite hard, the skin was tough and I’d had it for about a week.

“Yesterday I saw the radiologist and surgeon and they both think that this is the kind that will heal itself and just needs to be left alone.

“It’s come on by me resuming training, I’m running again now, at about 75% and have resumed light training.

“I was worried about this. If it needed work I’d have essentially been back to square one and you’re looking at another five or six weeks until resuming training. And by then the season is practically over.”

O’Connor will work on strength and conditioning and hopes to be available for selection between 10 and 14 days, though he’s not expecting an instant recall.

“I’ve had a lot of luck really, I’ve been out for a month and only missed three games,” he said.