JON Kennedy is gearing himself up for a New Year comeback.

The Accrington Stanley goalkeeper has been sidelined since early October after breaking his leg in a freak training ground accident.

But the 24-year-old is almost ready to return slightly ahead of schedule after battling his way back to fitness.

Kennedy had initially targeted yesterday's televised game at Halifax Town as the one he was hoping to be available for. But wintery weather meant he hasn't been able to do as much outdoor training as he needs to before he can feature in the first team again.

Nevertheless, he hopes he may only be a further week away from a return to action.

"I can't wait to start playing again," said Kennedy.

"The worst part about being injured has been watching the games from the sidelines. I just want to get back into it now."

Kennedy might even have been available for the Christmas games had it not been for the seriousness of his injury.

Instead of just a clean break of his fibula, the former Sunderland goalkeeper suffered a spiral fracture AND tore his ankle ligaments.

"My ankle is the area that's taken the longest to heal because the ligaments have had to knit together again," he said.

"I had an operation to have my leg pinned, which is just as well because I could have been out for six months altogether if I hadn't. Fortunately my leg has healed well, but with the weather not being the best it's hard to get out training properly.

"But it's healed quickly because I just couldn't sit about and do nothing. I was up and about on my crutches all the time. And the surgeon said as soon as I can stand and put my weight on it I should take my pot off and do set exercises to build my muscles up."

However, while Kennedy is keen to pull on the goalkeeper's jersey for Stanley again, he doesn't want to rush his comeback.

"It's make or break time for us now.

"A lot of teams are tight round the top and you don't want to be playing when you're not 100 per cent," he said.

"I want to start playing again, but only when I'm ready."

He added: "Depending on how many games I can get in I think I'm about another two weeks away from a comeback.

"I was expected to be back about mid to late January so I am just ahead of schedule.

"I was hoping that I could possibly have been involved in the Halifax away game, but it could be the week after because I might need a couple of reserve games and, at this time of year, they tend to get called off."