Devonshire Cougars star forward Domico Coddington could be back in action early next month, team officials revealed yesterday.

Coddington fractured a bone in his right foot early during the second half of last season in a pivotal Premier Division league clash against Boulevard Blazers at the Den.

The 23-year-old national team footballer attempted to make a comeback playing for Bermuda Hogges during the summer months, but was again forced to the sidelines after re-aggravating the injury in a freak, off-the-ball incident during practice.

Since then, however, Coddington has made steady progress with Cougars' team management now optimistic the star player could soon be back in the fold.

"Domico could come out now if he really wanted to because he has been building himself up and getting into shape," stated one team source.

The 2004-05 BFA MVP is scheduled to seek advice from a physician in the upcoming weeks to determine whether or not he is fit to rejoin his Cougars' team-mates in practice.

"Domico is mending nicely and I would say well on the road to recovery. He has made a good recovery but we don't want to rush things," the Cougars' source added.

"We want to give him as much time as possible to heal and so it is up to him to decide when it is best to return. But I'd say he's definitely on course to make a return by November at the latest or next month at the earliest."

Coddington injured his foot just as the Big Cats stepped up the hunt for a second league title in three seasons and led many to believe his injury troubles were behind him when he suited up for Cougars in the Friendship Trophy final against Somerset Trojans at the National Sports Centre last March. Team officials, however, decided best not to play Coddington for fear of the player re-injuring himself.

"We were very sceptical then and that is why we didn't play him in the final," the Cougars' team official explained.

When asked if he thought Coddington's failed comeback with the Hogges was a wise choice, he replied: " I don't think he raced back. Domico felt that he had recovered at the time and really it was just one of those things that unfortunately happen. It was just a freak accident."

Cougars, meanwhile, broke a recent jinx against Somerset Trojans last weekend with a resounding 3-1 win to open the defence of their Martonmere Cup title on solid footing.

The Big Cats currently top Group A and could advance to the semi-finals of the competition with outright victory over a grieving Boulevard Blazers in their next Martonmere match.

Cougars were originally scheduled to take on Blazers on Saturday night at BAA Field but Bermuda Football Association (BFA) announced yesterday that the match has been postponed with no new date yet confirmed.

Saturday's Martonmere Cup Group B match between North Village Rams and Dandy Town will go ahead as scheduled at BAA Field, with kick-off time brought forward to 8 p.m.

Cougars ran Devonshire Colts ragged earlier this month at BAA Field to lift a maiden Charity Cup and send an ominous warning to rivals that they mean business this season.

"We are getting stronger with every passing match and could better as time goes by," the Cougars team official added. "The guys are very confident of their chances for another successful season."