SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown will be putting winger Kevan Hurst through his paces this week in a bid to get him fit for Saturday’s clash with play-off rivals Plymouth Argyle at Roots Hall.

Hurst has missed the Shrimpers’ last two games after suffering a slight hamstring tear during the 1-0 win at Cambridge United on Boxing Day.

But Brown is desperate to get him back fit.

“In terms of a fitness richter scale, Kevan will be going from 0 to 10 this week and we will be doing all we can to get him fit for the game,” said the Blues boss.

“If I’m being honest I thought we missed him at Northampton on Saturday and I think he could maybe have made a difference to the outcome of the game.

“He was starting to come in to some form just before getting the injury too so hopefully he can rediscover that kind of form when he comes back.

“We obviously won’t be taking any unnecessary risks and he won’t come back in to the team until he’s fully ready because you have to be careful with hamstring injuries.

“But at the moment I would say it’s 50/50 whether or not he will be fit for the Plymouth game.”

However, Blues will definitely have Myles Weston back for the game after he was also ruled out of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Northampton Town.

Weston, who has played both on the wing and up front for the Shrimpers, missed the trip to the Sixfields Stadium with tonsillitis.

But he will be fine to face the Pilgrims on Saturday and so too should David Worrall who was only fit enough to be on the bench against Northampton having suffered a knee injury.

“Myles is available again and there’s certainly competition for places now,” said Brown.

“Shaq Coulthirst took his chance at the weekend and will be confident of keeping his place so I will certainly have a few tough decisions to make, especially with David Worrall likely to be far fitter again too.”