DAVID CUFFLEY Top scorer Robert Earnshaw is making “fantastic” progress in his recovery from a serious groin injury, City manager Peter Grant confirmed. But Grant offered a word of caution after Earnshaw announced that he could be back in action in less than a month.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Top scorer Robert Earnshaw is making “fantastic” progress in his recovery from a serious groin injury, City manager Peter Grant confirmed today.

But Grant offered a word of caution after Earnshaw announced that he could be back in action in less than a month.

As the Canaries prepare to visit his former club, Cardiff City, in the Coca-Cola Championship tomorrow, the 25-year-old striker was quoted in a newspaper in his homeland as saying he hoped to be playing again in the first week of April.

“It's great news considering most people told me this season was over and to just concentrate on the recovery aspect of things,” said Earnshaw, who needed surgery on a badly torn groin muscle after a training injury in January.

However, Grant said the Wales international's recovery was keeping pace with the original time schedule, which suggested he may be fit by the end of April.

“He's doing fantastically well, but if we get him back before the end of the season I will be absolutely delighted,” said Grant.

“Neal Reynolds says he's progressing very, very well but we know he's still got a long way to go.

“He's progressing well with the exercises he's doing, but there's a difference between the things he's doing at the moment and going out and kicking a ball, running, twisting and jumping. The ballwork is still to come.

“He's feeling a lot better and we feel he's on a par with where he should be.

“I'd love for him, from a psychological point of view, to play before the end of the season because then he won't be sitting there all summer wondering whether he's going to be fit.

“He's got a good chance of doing that, but the start of next season is the vital time for me and I would never risk him if there was any doubt.”

Earnshaw, hoping to be at Ninian Park tomorrow, was quoted as having been told he could be back as early as the first week in April.

He said: “The medical staff here have been marvellous. At the moment I'm doing step-up exercises and the groin is getting stronger and stronger every day.

“They tell me that in two to three weeks I will be able to kick a ball and start running and everything else will then just fall into place.

“The groin muscle has to be perfect before I start light training, so it's all positive and the next level of rehab will start next week.

“It's the best news I've had for weeks, but I'm in the hands of the physio so if he gives me the day off I'll be shooting down to Cardiff to watch the game.”

Earnshaw will miss Wales' Euro 2008 qualifiers at the end of the month against the Republic of Ireland and San Marino, but hopes to be ready for the Czech Republic game in June.

He said: “I can't wait to get back playing, I've seen more matches on television at home than I care to remember and it's doing my head in.

“It's probably the longest I've been out in my career and it's an all new experience for me because I'm not the most patient of people.”