ANXIOUS Steve Fletcher looks set to face a make-or-break training session to prove his fitness ahead of Cherries' eagerly-awaited Sky-televised clash against Division Two rivals Bristol City on Saturday.

Fletcher has already missed two days' training this week and his place against the Robins could be in doubt after he suffered a recurrence of a shoulder injury during Cherries' 1-0 win at Wrexham four days ago.

The big targetman, who battled through the pain barrier to play a starring role at the Racecourse Ground, initially sustained the injury when he partially dislocated his left shoulder against Shrewsbury in April.

And after aggravating the joint towards the end of the first half at Wrexham, Fletcher will be closely monitored in training at Canford School tomorrow before a late decision is taken on his inclusion against City.

Fletcher said: "It happened about 10 minutes before half-time when I went over on my shoulder after I had cleared a ball down the line. I felt it pop again and it was quite painful.

"I knew exactly what I had done because it was the same as what I had done at the end of last season against Shrewsbury. My shoulder just went weak and I thought I was going to have to come off.

"But it obviously wasn't as bad as when I first did it because I was able to play on, although it was still bothering me. I got it strapped up at half-time and had to grin and bear it in the second half. I knew that if I twisted it or hurt it again I would have to come off, but because we were 1-0 up and looking for our first win of the season, I think the adrenaline helped me through until the end.

"The way I play, I use my upper body more than I use my lower body and I use my left arm a lot to hold people off so I need my shoulders to be strong.

"People must have thought I was a bit of a weirdo because of the way I was running in the second half. I was trying to hold my left arm close to my body as if it was in a sling and going full throttle with my other arm.

"Although I knew exactly what I had done, I saw their club doctor straight after the game and had a deep massage on it on Monday. But it could be something I will have to live with for the rest of my career because obviously my shoulder it a bit vulnerable.

"It's recovering quite nicely, but there is still a lot of pain there. Hopefully it won't keep me out on Saturday, but we will just have to wait to see. If I train and aggravate it again, it could set me back.

"I've got to train eventually to see how it is, but I don't want to risk niggling it. It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation because I've got to know if I'm going to be able to play with it like it is.

"Nobody wants to miss any games, but there's no point in risking it for one game if it could mean being out for a couple of months should I do any more serious damage. I will see how it is in training and take it from there."

Due to a production error, our match facts panel from Cherries' game at Wrexham incorrectly stated that Baraclough had been booked for Cherries when in fact it should have been Browning.