MICHAEL COLLINS will see a specialist on Friday hoping to get the green light to step up his comeback bid.

The midfielder has missed play-off-bound Town’s last two League I games following surgery on a finger.

He is now able to take part in non-contact training drills, and boss Lee Clark hopes he will soon be back in contention.

“It was a nasty fracture, and the surgeon had to do quite a bit of cutting in to sort it out,” explained the manager.

“But Michael’s been able to get rid of the sling and is now wearing only a finger cover, and we’re hoping for the all-clear.”

Centre-back Neal Trotman trained as normal yesterday after being substituted during Saturday’s 6-0 win at Stockport because he felt unwell.

Clark, meanwhile, has been in touch with Brentford boss Andy Scott over on-loan winger Lionel Ainsworth.

Scott has said he won’t pick the 22-year-old again after he walked straight down the tunnel when he was substituted against Yeovil on Saturday.

Ainsworth, who is contracted to Town until 2011, was making his first start for the Londoners after eight outings from the bench.

“He showed a complete disrespect to his teammates, to me and to Brentford Football Club,” said Scott.

Clark commented: “I’ve spoken to Andy Scott but the details remain private.”

Ainsworth played 90 minutes for the reserves in yesterday afternoon's 5-2 thumping of Gillingham, and will apologise to Scott and the rest of his team-mates at training tomorrow morning.

Speaking to the Hounslow Chronicle, he said: "I'll be apologising to Andy Scott and my team-mates.

"I wanted to play on, and didn't feel I was having a bad game, but I took my frustration out in the wrong way.

"It's poor from myself, and I want to apologise to the fans as well for my behaviour."

Scott insists Ainsworth won't play in Saturday's trip to Swindon - even if Brentford are down to the bare bones.

But the 22-year-old hopes his apology will earn a reprieve from the Bees boss.

"That's football," he said. "I want to play, but if I'm not involved then I'm not involved, and that's the consequence of my actions."

The midfielder's fitness was also questioned by Scott in the post-match press conference, and Ainsworth admits all his time on the sidelines has left him short of sharpness.

"It wasn't the best when I came here, but after two or three weeks I felt I was ready to go," he added.

"Lewis Grabban was playing well to keep me out of the side, and you only get that match fitness from playing games.

"I felt good on Saturday, but maybe I was lacking that little bit of sharpness in first-team games."