MIKE Whitlow offered battle-weary Wanderers a crumb of comfort today with a positive fitness report.

The Reebok left-back, stretchered off in the first half of Saturday's FA Cup defeat at Barnsley is waiting for the result of a precautionary scan on his injured knee.

But X-rays already taken have shown nothing untoward.

The experienced defender, signed in September as an emergency replacement after Wanderers lost record signing Robbie Elliott for the season with a broken leg, had feared a lengthy lay-off, adding to Colin Todd's selection plight.

But the manager was hopeful today when he said: "The X-rays were clear and the scan is just a precaution.

"The knee has had time to settle down and, hopefully, the injury isn't as bad as we first thought. But we'll have to wait and see."

Wanderers, whose injury and suspension problems have sent them reeling from one manpower crisis to another throughout a troubled season, hope to have record signing Dean Holdsworth and goalkeeper Keith Branagan available for Saturday's crunch clash with fellow strugglers Southampton at the Reebok.

Todd, whose selection plans continue to be handicapped by the loss of key players, is confident the frontline duo will be back to boost his team's survival hopes. "I'd be bitterly disappointed if they weren't," he said.

Reebok chiefs are still waiting to hear whether the Football Association will take any action following the controversial touchline brawl at the end of the Oakwell cup tie.

The steward, who was arrested for allegedly taking a swing at midfielder Jamie Pollock, was released without charge by South Yorkshire Police after Wanderers said they would not be pursuing the matter.

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