BOSS Phil Brown has been given hope that Swindon Town’s injury concerns in defence are easing following skipper Olly Lancashire’s battling return to action against Yeovil Town at the weekend.

Centre-back Lancashire finished last season on the sidelines due to a neck problem but was fit to make his comeback at the start of the current campaign.

However, niggling issues flared up in recent weeks and the 29-year-old could only make the bench for the 1-0 win at Morecambe on September 8, although Brown was forced to introduce him before the break.

He then sat out the 2-1 loss at home to Bury a week later altogether, but Lancashire was back in the starting line-up at the weekend as Town roared to a 3-0 win at Yeovil, with Brown stating his captain had looked revitalised in training in the build-up.

Dion Conroy has not featured since the second weekend of the season due to a knee injury, while fellow centre-back Chris Robertson has not played at all in 2018-19.

However, Conroy participated alongside the Swindon matchday squad at Huish Park at the weekend, while Robertson is also edging closer to a comeback after recently having a protective boot removed.

Brown said: “I am delighted for Olly Lancashire. I kid you not, from Monday last week in training he looked a different person altogether.

“Fingers crossed he is through (the injury issues) and he has got himself a clean sheet in a captain’s role.

“Dion Conroy is very much on the road to recovery. He was in the squad on Saturday but really just to get out there and do another session.

“He worked unbelievable hard in the week and we will have another crack at it this week with a view to Saturday against Oldham.”

Brown also confirmed that Michael Doughty was close to returning from a hip issue against the Glovers but felt their six-goal top scorer would benefit from an additional weekend off.

“Michael Doughty was 50-50 on Thursday and then come Friday he was maybe 60-40,” said Brown.

“With the amount of talent we have in the middle of the park, I thought it was just a bit of a slight on someone who is 100 per cent.

“I know Michael is an important player for us. Someone who has scored half of your goals from midfield has to be an important player, but he was watching and he will be delighted for the players.

“He wants to come back in and cause me a headache now, which is good news – bring it on.”

A total of 871 Swindon supporters braved miserable wet weather to watch their team at Huish Park and Brown was thrilled to pay them back with a classy victory.

“It was horrific conditions but when you can give them something to go home and smile about, that is our job,” said Brown.

“I know it is closer than Morecambe and somebody said it was close to 1,000, but it doesn’t matter how many are there – even if there was one only there, they would have been entertained on Saturday.”