CENTRE-BACKS Mickey Demetriou and Mark O’Brien should both be fit to start for Newport County AFC at Morecambe tomorrow, but captain Joss Labadie’s return is still not certain.

Demetriou played the full 90 minutes against Stevenage last Saturday following his return from 17 weeks out with a broken leg.

And, despite some discomfort during and after the match, he’s ready to face bottom club Morecambe at the Globe Arena.

“It was really good to see Mickey back last week, it’s a big plus for us,” said assistant manager Wayne Hatswell.

“He gives us that balance with his left foot and with Haynesy (Ryan Haynes) and Nursey (George Nurse) as well, they’re all left-footed so we can switch play and use both sides well.

“We had to wrap him in cotton wool this week. He’s on a high but the risk is a little bit greater with him."

Manager Michael Flynn was concerned about rushing Demetriou back too soon against Stevenage, but the 29-year-old appears to have come through unscathed.

“We didn’t want to risk him for that long [last week],” said Hatswell.

“He was chucked in at the deep end but you know what you’re going to get with Mickey; he’s a good professional and he worked hard for the 17 weeks he was out.

“And, credit to him, he came back in and had a dominant display. That’s Mickey.

“He couldn’t even do long throws," added the Exiles number two.

"I know he took one right at the end but I think he was limping around after that for a little bit.

“He said he couldn’t plant his foot properly, but hopefully he’ll get used to that little bit of pain that he’s having with it.

“But he’s had no reaction [since then] and he’s trained as normal.”

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O’Brien was forced off at half-time last weekend after taking a blow to the head, but he too is OK to face the Shrimps.

“He’s been in the wars at the moment,” said Hatswell.

“He cut the inside of his lip at Bradford and he got another war wound against Stevenage.

“It happens to him quite a lot because he’s so honest, but he’s that centre-half warrior and he just loves playing with a headband on.

“But he’s patched up and ready to go. You’d have a job to keep him out.”

Fellow central defender Ryan Inniss has now recovered from mumps but is unlikely to feature today.

“He’s not trained all week but the doctor’s given him the all-clear and he’s back in the building now,” Hatswell confirmed.

“And, thankfully, nobody else has gone down with it, so far.”

Robbie Willmott, Dan Leadbitter, Kyle Howkins, Ade Azeez, Corey Whitely and Keanu Marsh-Brown are also sidelined, but Labadie is close to fitness after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Asked specifically about the skipper’s fitness ahead of tomorrow's game, Hatswell said: “We’ll be assessing everybody.

"We’re going to the last minute with preparation before games at the minute because we don’t know who we’re going to have.

“We’re wrapping a few in cotton wool and trying to edge them back in but they’ve got to get to that intensity where they’re ready to go and play if they are needed. It’s a delicate balance.”

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