RICHIE Wellens hopes Kaiyne Woolery’s sparkling return to action for Swindon Town can offset the loss of fellow forward Keshi Anderson to injury.

Anderson sat out last weekend’s 2-1 win at home to Newport County in League Two and will remain unavailable for Saturday’s trip to Grimsby Town, with the 23-year-old also a doubt for some of Town’s fixtures over the busy Christmas period.

Woolery has had injury issues of his own throughout the 2018-19 season and started a match for the first time this term against Newport last weekend.

He capped that comeback with a late winning goal at the Energy Check County Ground, although Woolery has felt some of the after-effects of his exertions against the Exiles in training this week.

Woolery will continue to be monitored ahead of the match at Grimsby, but boss Wellens has no doubt his return has been a big plus for the club.

“Kaiyne has not trained much this week – we are just trying to look after him,” said Wellens.

“Either on Monday or Tuesday, he kicked a lot of balls so he felt a bit of a tight groin. When you have been out for so long, you have these little niggles.

“Hopefully it is a niggle. We will look after him and we will see how he is on Friday. If he is good to go, we will play him, and if not, there is no point taking any risks with him.

“Kaiyne just gives us a different dimension. I would say he is the fastest player in the league. He is lightning quick, so we have got to use that asset and if there is space in behind, use it.

“It’s not good timing, because Keshi is a good player – he is one of the best players at this level and we don’t want him injured – but it’s lucky that we have got Kaiyne back as Keshi has gone down.”

Wellens has already ruled Anderson out of the trip to Grimsby and does not expect him to make an immediate return after the clash at Blundell Park.

After the match against the Mariners, Swindon host Cheltenham Town on December 22 in their final pre-Christmas fixture before travelling to Northampton Town on Boxing Day and then Mansfield Town on December 29.

Wellens’ side play a fourth game in the space of 11 days when they begin 2019 with a home match against Exeter City on New Year’s Day.

Anderson has played 25 times for Town in all competitions this season, but is now facing at least a couple of weeks on the sidelines.

“Keshi will be out for the foreseeable future – maybe the next three or four games. Keshi is not close for this weekend,” said Wellens.

“Keshi has been struggling since probably late on in the Port Vale game (on November 24). He soldiered on and now he is going to be out for a couple of weeks.”