TED Smith has eased Southend United’s goalkeeping crisis by being passed fit for tonight’s clash at AFC Wimbledon.

With Dan Bentley (groin) and Paul Smith (calf) both sidelined for Saturday’s meeting with Carlisle United, the 19-year-old sparked fears when he suffered an impact injury towards the end of the 2-0 triumph against the Cumbrians.

However, Smith trained yesterday and is now fit enough to face the Dons this evening.

And Bentley has also yet to be ruled out, according to Blues’ assistant manager Dave Penney.

“Ted came in on Sunday for treatment but it was more an impact injury than anything else so he’s fine and we’ll be taking another look at Dan as well,” said Penney.

“We’ve still got issues with Dan as well as Paul and it’s all to do with his kicking.

“We don’t want defenders having to take the kicks for him and if a goalkeeper isn’t fit enough to take a goal kick then he’s not fit enough to play.

“It’s something we will obviously be monitoring but I thought Ted was great at the weekend and we were all delighted with that clean sheet.”

Blues’ victory against Carlisle got them back on track after two successive defeats and they now sit just three points below the automatic promotion in fifth place.

But Penney believes the Shrimpers will need at least 23 more points from their remaining 13 games if they are to secure a top three finish.

“We haven’t set a specific target but we have a rough idea of where we want to get to and you need to get in eighties to get automatic promotion,” said the former Doncaster Rovers boss.

“We’re eight points ahead of where we were at this stage of last season and our aim at the start of the season was to be 20 per cent better than the year before so we want to keep that going.”

With that in mind, Southend will be desperate to triumph at 11th placed AFC Wimbledon this evening.

But the Dons will also be keen to come out on top after suffering a shock 1-0 defeat at bottom of the table Hartlepool United.

“Wimbledon had been doing OK until Saturday and their manager will want a reaction from the team after that,” said Penney.

“Nobody likes losing so they will be fired up but if we can repeat the level of performance we had there in the JPT then I think we will pick up points.”

Blues’ on loan striker Jake Cassidy also faces a late fitness check ahead of tonight’s game after missing the Carlisle match with a groin problem.