WESTBURY United defender James Dowd returned to training on Wednesday night after three months out with knee and thigh injuries.

Manager Paul Brickley is looking forward to having the burly centre half available again.

He said: "He's a big lad and when they get injuries they take a while to get over them.

"He's a big character in the changing room and it will be great to get him back."

Dowd's return is good news for Westbury ahead of the visit of second-placed Willand Rovers, which promises to be one of their toughest games of the season.

Having come so close to holding Corsham on Saturday, Brickley is urging his team to play with the same spirit.

He said: "The games seem to get harder each week. Willand are a very good side. If we can put as much effort in as we did against Corsham I think we've got a chance.

"We've been playing quite well recently, but have not been scoring enough goals. We've just crept into the bottom three.

"It's going to be hard, but I can't really see a problem if we keep going like that."

Brickley has put in seven days' notice of approach for Melksham's Carl Harford and has re-signed midfielder Tom Evans, who has returned from Australia. Striker Jerad O'Pray will play for the reserves again tomorrow as he recovers from injury, but could back in the first team the following week.

Despite Westbury's lowly league position Brickley is not planning wholesale changes.

He said: "I just feel that we've got a squad of 18 or 19 and I want to work with them.

"Tom Evans is a very good player and will be knocking on the first team door after a few games in the reserves."

Player-coach Matty Bown will return to the squad tomorrow after missing the Corsham game, but young defender Martin Little is suspended.

Brickley said: "If he had been available this weekend he would have started. He played really well against Corsham."