One player who is slightly less concerned than others over Avenue's lack of games this year is Jason Maxwell.

The powerhouse striker, recovering from a triple fracture to his cheekbone picked up at Accrington Stanley, is well on his way back to fitness - and has missed only two games.

The former Scunthorpe man is expected to return in the first two weeks of February from his injury, picked up in a clash of heads during the top-of-the-table clash.

He has been training hard for the past two weeks and is desperate to be involved again.

"I'm not very good at being injured," said Maxwell, whose list of ailments over the years include a broken

collar bone and a dislocated shoulder.

"I live for my football and I hate being out. It is a very frustrating thing for me and I am just working hard now to get back as soon as possible."

Due to poor weather and floodlight problems, Maxwell has missed only the Stalybridge game and the cup disaster against Ossett.

"Obviously it is a shame the lads haven't played," he said.

"It is now like starting the season again for all of them, but personally it has worked out well.

"I just want to get back as soon as possible without missing too many more."

Maxwell is also secretly pleased that the lack of games means his strike partner Andy Hayward hasn't got any further ahead in the battle to be top-scorer.

Although working to bring his match fitness back up, Maxwell still has to avoid contact for fear of aggravating the injury, which has yet to fully heal.

Despite visiting four hospitals in four days with the fracture, he hasn't got any obvious scarring nor even a black eye.

"As soon as I landed I knew what I had done," he continued.

"I went up for the ball and got there first but one of their lads just nutted me in the wrong place.

"And I got a bit of stick from their fans when I left the pitch, which was out of order."

Typical Maxwell, despite his injury he still walked unaided from the pitch before heading off straight to Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

He also had trips to Hull and Scunthorpe hospitals thrown in before having an operation on the Tuesday and returning home that night.

Having been made redundant last year, the currently unemployed Maxwell has had to bide his time at home filling in application forms and becoming increasingly desperate to return.

He will not be back for tomorrow night's free admission game against Harrogate but could appear on a pitch near you sometime next month.

Defenders, once again, beware.