SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown is not willing to risk midfielder Ryan Leonard against Morecambe tomorrow.

The energetic midfielder is back in full training after recovering from the hamstring injury he sustained at Cheltenham Town.

But Brown will not be calling on him this weekend.

“Ryan is training again which is great news but hamstrings are funny things and we need to be careful with him,” said Brown.

“I know he’s had a few problems with it in the past and we don’t want to rush him back too soon.

“We won’t be involving him tomorrow but once he does come back hopefully that can be the end of his injury troubles.”

Leonard was voted Blues’ player of the year last season but he will now have a fight on his hands to force his way back in to the starting line-up.

“If you had told me at the start of the season we would be on a run like this without Lenny, Michael Timlin and Will Atkinson in midfield I would’ve thought you had been drinking,” said Brown.

“But we’ve made an astute signing in Gary Deegan, Conor Clifford has really stepped up from pre-season onwards and we’ve had the emergence of Jack Payne as well so we’re certainly very strong in that area.”

The in-form trio have helped Blues win their last four games.

And Brown is now hoping to make it five in a row by seeing a Morecambe side impressively managed by Jim Bentley.

“I think Jim does a remarkable job with Morecambe and the squad all know what’s required of them,” said Brown.

“He’s a strong character but they’ve lost their last three games and hopefully we’re catching them at a good time.”

Blues are still sweating on the fitness of centre-back Luke Prosser who has a knee injury while winger David Worrall has picked up another illness but could still return to the squad.