MATTHEW Johnson won’t be fazed if he gets the call to help out Workington Town in an injury crisis.

The 36-year-old club conditioner was pressed into service on Sunday against Hunslet, and that’s the third time he’s stepped up to the plate for the team.

Johnson, a former Town winger, stopped playing professionally about 10 years ago but has laced up his boots again for Gary Charlton, Phil Veivers and now Leon Pryce.

He said: “I had an idea I might be playing after training on Thursday after we assessed the injuries. I was registered again as a trialist and on Saturday, for the captain’s run, it was confirmed I would be needed.”

Although he started on the bench, and might possibly have not been required, Johnson had to join the action inside three minutes when Huddersfield Giants full-back Sam Wood, playing on dual registration, was injured.

He was on the field for 30 minutes before Wood was able to return and he completed the game on the bench.

“It wasn’t too bad this time because I wasn’t the oldest player out there for us. There were two members of the side, Oliver Wilkes and Fuifui Moimoi older than me.

“Considering we were behind 14-4 at half-time, it was a very good effort to come back and win nicely 28-18,” he said.

Johnson had a brief spell working at Whitehaven before returning to his former club when Dave Clark was appointed coach. He’s also involved in the amateur game at his old club Glasson Rangers in the Premier Division of the Iggesund Cumberland ARL.

“I haven’t played much this season, only two games and, nowadays, it’s more a case of helping them out,” he said.

Town’s injury crisis appears to be easing but Pryce, and his players, know they always have a willing member of the 7th Cavalry in Johnson.