MORTON club captain Jim McAlister says he is raring to go again after recovering from a stomach injury.

The 33-year-old was forced off against Queen of the South last month with a muscular pain, but has been back on the bench for the last two fixtures.

The former Dundee and Hamilton Accies player has also suffered from a stomach bug throughout the season, which has caused him several problems, with symptoms including fatigue and illness.

Despite that the midfielder has played 33 times for the Ton this season, his best tally since the 2015-16 campaign with Blackpool.

McAlister is now keen to work his way back into the starting line-up against Alloa Athletic this weekend.

He told the Tele: “When I came off against Queens it was because I had a sharp pain in my stomach, a muscular pain that I suffered against Inverness in the last half an hour of the game when I was taking throw-ins.

“I overstretched for a ball against Queen of the South and I didn’t feel too comfortable, and I felt it was better before anything serious happened to come off and get as much rest as possible.

“It’s okay now.

“I don’t know if I had a tear but it’s nothing that has kept me out long term.

“I was on the bench against Falkirk, we had a few days’ break and I’ve been fine ever since then, so it’s nothing that will affect me long term.

“I’ve trained this week and I’ve had no problems.

“It’s up to the manager to decide what he wants to do. He might have someone else in mind, but I just need to train properly and hard and see what happens at the weekend and hopefully I can be back in the team again.

“The stomach bug now and again plays up, but it’s mostly gone now.

“I’m very glad that it flares up very rarely. I’m going to get it checked out again in the summer to see if everything is alright and I’ve got rid of it once and for all.

“Once I’ve got that done I can put my mind at rest, but it’s not affected me for the last wee while.”

The Ton captain was an unused substitute for Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Ross County, and says it was a real opportunity missed to get some points against the league leaders.

McAlister admits it’s now made the game this weekend against Alloa a ‘massive’ match.

He added: “You’re obviously disappointed not to play in the games. Saturday was a disappointing result for the club as I felt there was an opportunity to go up there and get something against Ross County.

“They had so many injuries and suspensions, they were down to the bare bones.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, we never really worked their goalkeeper and Saturday now becomes a massive game for the club.”