Braintree Town have been playing a waiting game over whether or not to extend the loan of goalkeeper Michael Crowe from Ipswich Town.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy said last week that he was happy for Crowe to return after the conclusion of his initial 28-day loan with the Iron.

The 20-year-old conceded just one goal in the four Vanarama National League games he played for Braintree, but manager Danny Cowley said a sore knee meant they were monitoring his progress this week before making a decision on a second loan spell.

“Michael has had a bit of a sore knee at the moment so we have been waiting on that,” he said.

“We are hopeful that we’ll see him come back because he’s done very well for us, but we do have contingencies in place if he needs to stay at Ipswich.”

But while Cowley was cautious, McCarthy said today that he was happy that Crowe would be fit to return to the Iron.

“I spoke to him this morning and he was telling me what games he’s got," McCarthy told the independent Ipswich website TWDT.co.uk.

"He’s got Barrow-in-Furness.

“He didn’t know where it was, I’ve just enlightened him and now he’s got a knee injury!

“He’s all right, as far as I’m concerned he’s going back there.”