Bees boss Andy Scott says it is unlikely Ben Strevens will follow defender Alan Bennett and striker Charlie MacDonald in making a surprise return to action.
The pair were recalled to the starting line-up at Huddersfield Town on Saturday after intensive rehabilitation programmes brought them back ahead of schedule.
Bennett had been expected to be out for another three weeks with his groin injury, while MacDonald - who made a shock appearance as a substitute against Charlton Athletic - was looking at an October recall having undergone shoulder surgery in the summer.
Strevens, who broke his league in a pre-season friendly with Hayes & Yeading, has been using an anti-gravity machine - similar to those used to rehabilitate injured racehorses - to allow him to run without putting weight on the injury.
The 29-year-old’s return would give Scott more options up front in a squad that proved its flexibility during the weekend’s 0-0 draw in Yorkshire, but the Griffin park chief is in no mood to rush back his summer signing.
“Charlie and Alan did fantastically well to get back and they are now fully fit, which has been a huge bonus for us,” he said.
“Ben is stepping things up and has just been given the all clear to start jogging normally, so it is good to see him get out of the treatment room and back on the training ground.
“We are not going to rush him. We’re still looking at around November time for him, because we don’t know how his match fitness is going to be having missed a lot of training.
“I was careful to put together a squad which was adaptable and that has already paid off. We’ve got enough in this squad to give it a really good go this year.”
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