Histon's Joe Welch ready for relegation clash

Welch has been with Histon since the summer of 2008

Histon goalkeeper Joe Welch is prepared to be called upon for Saturday's relegation showdown with Barrow.

Welch, 22, played in the 2-0 defeat at Forest Green in place of injured David Knight, despite been frozen out since 6 March following a contract dispute.

The Stutes are three points above the drop zone with one game left to play.

Welch told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "The manager wants me back in training this week as it's touch or go whether Dave will be fit or not."

Knight picked up a thigh strain ahead of Saturday's trip to Forest Green to leave the club short of keeper options.

Goalkeeping coach Lance Key was on standby to play, but boss Alan Lewer opted to allow Welch back into the fold.

"It's been a tough few weeks given the disagreements over the contract and a back injury I picked up in the reserves," he said.

"Fortunately I was fit enough to play on Saturday and enjoyed being back in the swing of things despite the defeat."

Histon are three places and points ahead of 21st-placed Gateshead with identical goal difference of minus 23.

Forest Green and Eastbourne also separate the Stutes from the relegation zone, but all three sides could leapfrog them should they lose to Barrow on the final day of the season.

It has been a difficult season for Histon with two different chairman, two different managers and a number of first-team players leaving.

Welch - who joined on a two-year contract in the summer of 2008 - was frozen out of the first team squad after failing to agree terms on a new deal.

He has said talks with the club are on hold until after the end of the season.

If I have to go elsewhere well that's football sometimes and you have to move on

Joe Welch

"I still need to sort out my future, but hopefully I've now put a little bit of a thought in the manager's mind and maybe we can sit down and sort something out," he said.

"If I have to go elsewhere well that's football sometimes and you have to move on. I've been sitting around on the bench for two years now and I'm a bit fed up with that."

Meanwhile, defender Matt Langston will be available for selection after his loan spell with Crawley came to an end.