SOUTHEND United centre-back Mark Phillips is facing a spell on the sidelines with a broken toe after playing through the pain against Leyton Orient.

Phillips had eight pain killing injections in the space of the week in order to get through the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy southern section final with the O’s on Wednesday.

But he will not playing when Blues head to Wycombe Wanderers this weekend.

“I’m in agony again after playing against Orient and I can’t keep having that number of injections to get through a game,” said Phillips.

“Because of the players we had injured and suspended we decided we had to do it for the Orient match though as it was obviously a very important game.

“Hopefully I won’t be out for too long and before the Orient match I was looking at being out for another 10 days to two weeks.

“Playing 90 minutes may have damaged it a bit more so I may be out an extra week but I’m not 100 per cent sure yet because Ben Clarkson hasn’t assessed it yet.

“However, we have Ryan Cresswell coming back now so the manager does have options available at the back again.”

Phillips had his first two injections last Monday to try and be fit for last Tuesday’s game with Cheltenham Town.

They failed to work and the defender had another three injections at the start of this week.

Phillips then had another injection at lunchtime on the day of the game before also having one before kick and another at half-time.

But that left his whole foot feeling numb.

“It was a strange experience not being able to feel my foot and I think my toe must have been stamped on about five times which wasn’t pleasant.

“I was really feeling it in the last five minutes but it was definitely worth it because it was one of the best nights of my whole career.

“It was the same for all the lads and hopefully I’ll be back playing again quite soon.”