Matt Paine isn’t completely ruling out a Braintree Town return before the end of the season.

But the Iron defender admits it may be a tough decision to come back to help the team’s push towards the Vanarama National League play-offs this year.

The 28-year-old former Colchester United trainee didn’t make the long trip to Barrow AFC on Tuesday as Braintree lost 2-0 with a third league defeat in a row and he won’t be fit to face second-placed Forest Green Rovers at the Avanti Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) or Tuesday’s trip to Grimsby.

However, he hasn’t completely given up hope of a return before the end of the campaign after injuring ankle ligaments in the team’s 0-0 draw with Gateshead last month and is waiting to see a specialist to see what the prognosis is.

“It’s been going slowly unfortunately,” said Paine. “I had an MRI scan and that showed ligament damage and fluid and inflammation around the joint and I’m seeing a specialist this week.

“A return before the end of the season is a possibility and it’s something that I’m not ruling out. I’ll just have to see what the specialist says. I spoke to a physio who (manager) Dan (Cowley) recommended and he said I may be able to have a couple of injections into the ankle, but I’ll see what the consultant says now.

“It could be a difficult decision as what’s going through my mind is that an injection would reduce the swelling and give me a bit more movement so I could play on at the end of the season with the position that the team is in.

“However, if there is ligament damage in there, then I could risk further damage by playing and that could impact me for pre-season and even into next season.

“Perhaps I just need to give it natural time to sort itself out to be ready for next season. It’s tough because it has been very difficult watching on.

“I’m not a patient watcher at all.

“I was sitting with Sean Marks in the stand for one of the games recently and he could only give it 20 minutes before he had to move because I was jumping up and down so much as I felt like I was trying to kick every ball.”