BIG kid Garry Shephard is itching with excitement and desperate to remind Newport County fans why he is classed in the non-league's striking elite.

The Welsh semi-pro international aims to end his nightmare of a season when the Exiles host second-placed Hinckley United at Spytty Park on Saturday where success could lift the tenth-placed Welshmen into the Premier Division's top-five.

Shephard, though, endured a torrid start to this campaign.

Firstly, the 27-year-old had a court case hanging over his head but the case was dropped after new evidence came to light.

Then the pint-sized striker underwent keyhole surgery to rectified minor cartilage damage to his left knee but Shephard (pictured) returned to full training last night.

Newport fans' favourite is set to have his first run-out tonight as County's reserve team travel to Forest Green Rovers- subject to a pitch inspection.

"I'm so excited and I just want to play," said Shephard.

"I'm like a big kid at the moment! I haven't played a game for a four weeks and I just want to kick a ball around. "I've been doing some separate training with club physio John Fitzgerald and I feel really sharp.

"Full training last night was obviously a vigorous work-out for me but now I just want to get playing again.

"It has been a very difficult start to the season for me. The court case was always on my mind and was all I could think about. That was resolved and then the injury curse struck. I just couldn't make the forward runs because I could feel pain in my knee.

"Now, though, I feel fresh and want to put my disappointing start of the season to bed and remind the County fans of the real Garry Shephard. I has been a test of my character but I'm determined to show what I can do."

And Shephard has warned the Exiles' joint-top goal-scorers Neil Davis and Jeff Eckhardt, both with seven apiece this season, to watch-out!

"Once I hit the goal trail it shouldn't be too hard to catch them," quipped Shephard. The hardest thing is to get that first goal. Then once I score one or two, my confidence will rocket and I'll be off."