Ex-Barnsley defender Neil Austin hopes he will finally see some competitive action in a Shaw Lane Aquaforce shirt before the season is out.

The 32-year-old signed for the Ducks in pre-season but only managed two friendly appearances before being struck with a toe injury. He has now been told that he will likely need an operation in the new year and it's a blow for Austin who played more than 150 games for his hometown club Barnsley then was at League Two outfit Hartlepool last season.

Austin said: "I broke my toe in three places in the second pre-season game.  I was quite looking forward to playing for Aquaforce and being back in local football. I still hope to get some games in for them this season. "It's just one of those things.

"The idea was to sign a short-term deal and take it from there. There's no time scale put on the injury yet. It will be just take as long as it takes."

Austin says he has 'shown his face' at Shaw Lane every now and again and says the club can earn another promotion. He added: "They have got a few games in hand and, as in all levels of football, the Christmas period is crucial then we can kick on from there."

Aquaforce manager Craig Elliott admits it has been a blow to be without Austin but they haven't felt it in the last two weekends with games called off.

"I had been looking forward to working with Neil and he was probably even more excited about the move than we were," said Elliott.

"He didn't miss a training session with us and everything was looking positive in pre-season. A scenario could happen when we have got a load of games left to play at the end of the season and he comes back in. He's the sort of experienced player you need and he does the talking for the manager on the pitch."

The Ducks' game at Daventry last Saturday was postponed after several players had already set off for Northamptonshire. The fixtureless weekend left them still in third but 15 points behind leaders Stafford Rangers, who won. Aquaforce now have four games in hand on Stafford and three on second-placed Coalville who they trail by six points.

Question marks remain as to whether tomorrow's game at Shaw Lane against Newcastle Town will be on and Elliott is feeling a sense of deja vu from last season. He added: "I'm hoping tomorrow's game is going to be on but the pitch is in a bad way with the Barnsley rugby team playing on it and more rain coming.  The worry for me is that we have to start again after not playing for a few weeks. I can't pick a team on form because we haven't played recently.

"All we can do is train but it feels like I'm repeating myself from last season.  We are going to be facing a lot of games in quick succession so we are going to need a big squad."