David Artell has delivered a positive squad update ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s trip to Newport County, with several players making encouraging progress in their recoveries.

Jude Soonsup-Bell continues to follow the concussion protocol, with the manager emphasising the importance of allowing the process to take its course rather than rushing him back prematurely.

“Jude is in the concussion protocol” Artell said. “You can try and accelerate it, but if you do and things don’t work out, you sort of go back, which is what’s happened.”

There has also been positive news regarding both Christy Pym and Cameron Gardner, who have returned to outdoor training as they step up their rehabilitation programmes. While both remain in the early phases of their return, Artell confirmed that Gardner is slightly further along in his recovery.

“Christy’s been out on the grass – really early stages,” he explained. “Cameron’s been out on the grass as well and is a bit further ahead.”

Jason Svanthorsson is another player moving in the right direction after travelling to Spain to seek specialist input on his knee issue. The Town boss is optimistic about the next phase of his recovery as the midfielder looks to increase his training load.

“Jason has been to see someone out in Spain to try and resolve a knee issue,” Artell said. “I’ve just seen him, and we’re looking forward to trying to step up his progress. We’re hoping he’ll be back on the grass probably next week – if it’s not next week, it’ll be the week after.”

Meanwhile, Doug Tharme has returned to the training environment and is now at the very beginning of his rehabilitation journey. Protective measures are currently in place to support his recovery.

“Doug’s back in. He’s got his knee in a brace to keep his hamstring from working for a week or two, and then he’ll start his rehab properly,” Artell said. “Alongside that, he’ll be making sure all his upper body is strong from today onwards.”

Reflecting on the overall picture, the Mariners boss admitted he is encouraged by the progress being made, particularly when compared to the significant injury challenges the squad faced at a similar stage last season.

“It’s always positive in the sense that Mother Nature tends to heal people and not harm them,” he said. “I just look back to last year and we were absolutely decimated.

“As long as it’s not as bad as that, then I’ll always look at it in a positive light. The lads are working hard, Christy’s going to be fit soon, Cam’s going to be fit soon hopefully, and Jason isn’t too far away either.

“It’s now about building them all up properly to make sure they’re fit and ready for the run-in.”

You can watch David Artell’s full pre-match press conference here:

With preparations now complete, the Mariners will look to carry their strong recent form into tomorrow’s fixture at Rodney Parade. Artell’s side travel to South Wales aiming to extend their unbeaten run and continue building momentum as the season enters a crucial phase, knowing a positive result on the road could provide another important step forward in the push up the Sky Bet League Two table.

UTM