LUCKLESS Bolton Wanderers defender Neil Cox has suffered a major setback to his comeback bid.

The £1.5million right back lasted just 10 minutes of last night's friendly at Rochdale before hobbling off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Cox, who is 26 today, has been out since the second game of the season at Coventry City six weeks ago and was desperate to build on a string of encouraging training sessions with an injury-free return to match action.

But, instead of looking forward to another 45-minute outing in the reserves at Oldham tonight, it was back to the treatment table as the doctors attempt to diagnose the full extent of the problem.

Manager Colin Todd said: "It's another step backwards for Neil. He has been back training with us without a problem but to last just 10 minutes last night shows there is obviously a problem there - but exactly what we don't know.

"He will be seeing a specialist tomorrow, as he was due to do before last night, and hopefully we'll get to the root of the problem.

"These can be strange injuries - you only have to look at Leonhardsen at Liverpool who has been out since the start of the season."

Cox moaned: "It's a real sickener. Hamstrings are usually four to six week injuries and I've had this one for six weeks so everything pointed to me being about ready.

"I've been training since Thursday and everything has been going alright with the injury. I just slid into the tackle and felt it go sore so I came off immediately."

Todd, however, is more heartened with the progress of long term knee injury victims Chris Fairclough and John Sheridan.

"They are both training with us and coming along very nicely indeed," explained the Reebok boss.

"Chris is ahead of John in terms of overall fitness levels but while both are making good progress it is nothing to get too excited about in terms of them being back playing soon."

Wanderers, who made a string of substitutions throughout last night's friendly, lost 2-0 against Rochdale but helped to attract a bumper crowd of 2,700 to Spotland for the official opening of the new East Stand.

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