COLCHESTER United skipper Pat Baldwin feared the worst when he was stretchered off with an ankle and knee injury during Saturday's goalless draw at Southampton.

Carl Marston

by Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United skipper Pat Baldwin feared the worst when he was stretchered off with an ankle and knee injury during Saturday's goalless draw at Southampton.

Baldwin even thought that he might have broken his leg, such was the pain following the penalty box incident that saw Saints defender Wayne Thomas land heavily on his ankle.

But the 26-year-old could be back in action within a couple of weeks, following the results of yesterday's scans.

"It's basically good news. I just have a slight strain of the muscle in my knee," revealed Baldwin last night.

"I landed awkwardly on my ankle when I came down, and their defender then landed on my leg. It pulled my knee out a bit, so both the ankle and knee were sore.

"When I did it, I thought that I had broken my leg! But it began to settle down almost immediately, after I got stretchered back to the dressing room. The doctor looked it over, and said that I didn't need to go to hospital.

"The knee and ankle are both swollen, but otherwise things seem to be OK. There is no ligament damage, so I just have to wait for the swelling to come down.

"I'm not sure how long I will be out, but it might only be two weeks,"

added Baldwin, who is closing in on 200 league appearances for the Essex club. Saturday was his 191st league outing.

Baldwin was stretched off in first-half stoppage time at St Mary's, with the U's already down to 10 men due to the sending-off of Kem Izzet. But Aidy Boothroyd's side held on impressively for a deserved 0-0 draw.

The U's are on their travels again this Saturday, with a trip to Swindon Town.