Crawley ace Mo Harkin could be set for a shock return within two weeks.

The tricky winger was initially ruled out for three months with an ankle injury picked up in training two weeks ago.

He had his foot put in plaster and Reds booked him in for an operation but Harkin has revealed he will be back far sooner than expected.

He said: "I thought I had broken it and there was a chance I needed surgery.

"I just twisted it in training and felt something snap so I was expecting the worst. But over the last couple of days it has got a lot better and, having talked to my surgeon, it's not as bad as people thought.

"The surgeon said it is going to be OK and has told me just to rest it for a week or so and then see how it is.

"There's no definite time as to when it will be better but I would say I will be looking to get back in the next two weeks.

"I will start having physio on it next week and then, hopefully, get back into training and get fit again."

Harkin picked up the injury two days after Crawley's Conference opener at Leigh RMI.

It looked to have continued an injury nightmare for the former Northern Ireland under-21 international.

He was sidelined for the final two months of last season after breaking the same ankle and missed Crawley's glorious Dr Martens League and cup run-in which resulted in the double.

Harkin is relieved he will not be absent for too much of the new campaign in which Reds have taken an impressive ten points from their first five games.

Harkin said: "It has been very frustrating for me. I suffered a stress fracture in December last year and decided to play on to see if I could last until the end of the season.

"We were going so well that I didn't want to have an operation in the middle of the season and miss out. I managed to play for three months and then ended up breaking the bone completely during a game.

"I was happy that I had managed to carry on for as long as I did but it was really disappointing not to be playing in the good bit of the season when we won everything.

"I recovered in time for pre-season and there was not a problem. I felt fit and played in the first game at Leigh, so my heart dropped when I felt it go a few days later.

"The boys have been doing so well, so I'm itching to get playing again. It is frustrating watching from the stand, especially when the side is doing well, but hopefully it will not be too long before I'm back out there."

Crawley travel to Exeter City on Saturday looking to ensure there is no repeat of their last away outing, a 4-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley.

Striker Charlie MacDonald hopes that performance will not put supporters off making the trip to Devon.

He said: "There was no excuse for the Accrington game and I feel sorry for the fans who travelled all the way up there to come and watch us.

"I want to apologise on behalf of the players and myself for that performance, but hopefully it won't stop them coming back.

"We have great supporters, especially away from home and we need them with us. We played really well when we beat Dagenham at home on Monday, so hopefully that will prove to the fans the Accrington game was just a slip-up."