SCOTT Walker has vowed to play through the pain barrier to drive Chippenham to the Conference South.

The winger is carrying an ankle injury he picked while coaching at Exeter City more than two months ago.

But the Bluebirds' most creative player has decided he can not afford to rest as the race for the title looks to be heading to the wire.

"It is really starting to get on my nerves,'' he said on Saturday. "I declare myself fit but in the back of my mind it is not 100 per cent. There's ten to 15 per cent of my sharpness that is not there.

"I'm not fully over it, it's a weakness and it is a becoming a real nightmare.''

Walker said the pain stretches up the outside of his ankle, and gives him a lot of trouble after games.

The long drive back to his home in Exeter is not helping matters.

"I've just got to get on with it, and make sure I do work on it over the summer and make it as strong as possible for next season.''

Walker, who takes anti-inflammatory tablets and ices the problem area for two hours after each game, started the season on fire, cracking home 13 goals by the end of November. Since then, however, his name has not appeared on the scoresheet.

It is something that is clearly bothering him.

"Since the New Year I've been on a slippery slope with these goals. They've dried up a bit. It does play on my mind but I've just got to keep plugging away.

"At this stage of the season, any contribution in front of goal, scoring or setting one up, will be a bonus.''