CLAYTON Donaldson will today try to convince City that he is ready to pep up their promotion drive.

The striker is edging nearer to reviving a campaign that has been on hold since he damaged his toe at Morecambe in mid-October.

That was the last of City’s three away wins – but he could be back in the mix when they hope to break that run against Mansfield on Saturday.

Gary Bowyer admits he cannot wait to call upon the veteran targetman once more.

Having got Jamie Devitt and Harry Pritchard back into the squad, he is closely monitoring Donaldson’s situation.

Bowyer said: “Clayton isn’t too far away. He’s not done a full week (of training) with us yet but he’s getting closer.

“He stayed at home and did another session on Tuesday and we’ll pick it up again with him when we go back in today. Then we’ll see where he’s at.

“Of course, I’m tempted (to bring him back). You see what he brings to the team with the size and the presence that he’s got.

“He has the ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play. It’s going to be massive for us when he’s back.”

Donaldson, who made 14 appearance prior to his injury, will further increase the options for Bowyer who insists City have missed more players than most during the season so far.

He added: “I look at other teams in and around us and I don’t think there are many who have had the injuries that we’ve had.

“But they are coming back. We’re hoping now that we can have a clean bill of health for the run-in.”

Bowyer has shuffled his resources this week by making five changes for each of the last two games.

He reworked the entire midfield for Tuesday’s goalless draw at Colchester and intends to keep everyone on their toes.

“Some of it was obviously forced with suspension (to James Vaughan), with one or two I just felt we needed to be a little bit more solid and I thought the performances on Saturday warranted a change with a couple of others.

“Everybody’s in it together. It took us over six hours to get down because of the M1 and we’ve got to recover and get ready for Mansfield now.

“There are lots of options and the competition’s brilliant. We’ve just got to keep working with them now, keep encouraging and supporting them.

“You saw the other night that they’ve got the fight for it.”

City have now gone seven game without an away win but face a Mansfield side with eight home defeats – the worst record in the division.

Bowyer said: “We’ve only lost four on the road.

“The best bit about our lads is the honesty. Win, lose or draw they are a good honest bunch and they displayed that again the other night.

“When you’ve got a group like that, you keep chipping away with them. I feel it is coming for them, for sure.”