MANAGER Lee Bradbury is confident Adam Barrett can boost Cherries’ play-off charge – with the captain on course for a rapid recovery.

The Cherries boss has revealed that his skipper could defy predictions by returning quicker than expected from his hamstring injury.

Cherries initially confirmed that Barrett was likely to be sidelined for at least 10 weeks after he had sustained a grade two tear during the win over Notts County on January 14.

However, Bradbury says the centre-half could now offer his experience to Cherries’ promotion push earlier than first thought.

While he insists Cherries will tread carefully with the 32-year-old, who has twice suffered setbacks already this season, Bradbury is hoping to have the defender available ahead of the League One run-in.

Bradbury told the Daily Echo: “Adam Barrett is going to be back quicker than originally thought.

“At this moment in time, he can’t feel it. But that is the danger – he couldn’t feel it last time and broke down.

“We are going to get him a scan to see how it is healing and how much he can kick on.

“He feels like he could do a bit more but we are just putting the reins on him a little bit until he has had a scan.

“Twice he has come back and gone out with the injury. We are very aware of that and that is why I think a scan will explain or show how far down the road he is, without relying on Adam to say he is okay when possibly he might not be, because last time he thought he was okay and he wasn’t.

“That is just Adam’s make-up. He wants to get back in the team, back in training and back playing.”

Barrett has made 28 starts for Cherries since arriving from Crystal Palace on a two-year deal in the summer.

Bradbury added: “Hopefully, he is going to be back involved in the latter part of the season.

“If it is a vital part of the season and we are trying to push to make the play-offs, so it would be key that he is involved.”

Meanwhile, Bradbury reported that a number of other injured players were making progress.

Tottenham Hotspur loan man Nathan Byrne is back in training following his long-term lay-off.

Midfielder Mark Molesley played 60 minutes in a reserves friendly on Tuesday, while Joe Partington is said to be ahead of schedule.

Bradbury confirmed Shaun Cooper and Mathieu Baudry were also making positive strides.