Exeter City are hoping their promotion push will be boosted by the return of some of their injured players before the end of the season. While Kyle Taylor is unlikely to return before the end of 2022, the other key squad members currently on the treatment table should all be back before the end of the campaign.

Jonathan Grounds, who was out for a month with a calf injury, is back in training and should be fit enough to feature on Good Friday at home to Colchester United if needed. Harry Kite, after his groin injury, is a little further away, but we hope to be back before the end of the month.

Star striker Sam Nombe is on his way back from his hamstring injury. It was feared his season was over after suffering the tear against Salford City last month.

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But the 23-year-old is back to training outside on the grass. While the Easter double-header with Colchester United and Tranmere Rovers will come too soon for the striker to return, provided next week goes as well as expected and suffers no further setbacks he could be fit enough for the last four games of the season.

“Jonathan Grounds is back in training but on Saturday it was too early to involve him,” manager Matt Taylor said. “Sam Nombe is out doing individual work which is a good sign, but he’s about a week away from doing anything in the group environment.

“We hope to get him back in the group by next week. Easter weekend will be too soon, but then there is a race for the following week. He has to get through the next ten days and it will be a real bonus, but these are the most important days because it is going full speed.

“It’s really sustained pressure through the hamstrings and as it’s happened twice, so we have to be careful about his future workload. But at the moment we expect that he plays a role this season.

Nombe’s injury was not as bad as the previous hamstring tear that kept him out of action for two months, and it was feared his season might be over. But the news that the striker could play again is a huge plus for the Greeks, even though they have won five of six games since the injury.

City are second in the League Two table after the 1-0 win at Carlisle United on Saturday. They are five points clear of fourth-placed Mansfield Town and on a better goal difference, with just six games remaining.

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