SWINDON Town manager Richie Wellens admitted he is having to risk players that are not fully fit after Paul Caddis played 90 minutes just days after complaining of a hamstring injury.

The Scottish defender was initially ruled out of last Saturday’s trip to Newport County when he pulled up during a training session on an artificial pitch earlier in the week – Town’s usual facility at Beversbrook was flooded.

And Wellens revealed he had planned his side’s set up without Caddis in the starting XI.

The 31-year-old reportedly went for a scan to discover the extent of any potential injury, but after the test showed no signs of serious damage, Caddis went on to battle his way through 90 minutes on a less than ideal Rodney-Parade surface.

Following a 2-0 defeat for the league leaders, Wellens said he would ideally have rested the former League Two winner.

However, Caddis asked to play to help the club out during a time where a considerable number of first-team players are absent through injury or suspension.

Wellens said: “Paul Caddis did unbelievably well to get through 90 minutes (against Newport).

“When we turned up on Friday, Caddis was not going to play, but Paul Caddis being who he is, he wants to play and he wants to try and get through it.

“So he did unbelievably well to make it through 90 minutes because when we’ve trained on Thursday and gone through the team, Caddis wasn’t starting.

“I’m just pleased he’s got through, and hopefully he won’t have any reactions this week after pushing his body, and he’ll be fit for next week.”

Saturday’s defeat also saw a Swindon Town debut for Huddersfield Town loanee Rarmani Edmonds-Green.

The 21-year-old began his six-month loan with a solid performance against a barrage of aerial bombardment and physicality.

But the Town boss felt his newest recruit came through a difficult test well and has backed the former Bromley man to continue to thrive in a more technical environment at the County Ground.

Wellens said: “It was a really tough game for Rarmani to come into, but I thought he did very well aerially.

“He made a couple of really good passes out from the back, but it was a unique set of circumstances against Newport.

“It was a tough place to come, but I thought he did really well anyway.

“He stuck in there and gave us a chance.”