Crawley Town v Harrogate Town: Sulphurites' injury list starts to grow

Harrogate Town midfielder Levi Sutton in League Two action against Crewe Alexandra. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The Sulphurites’ treatment room has been looking fairly empty of late, with goalkeeper Mark Oxley (calf) their only long-term absentee heading into last weekend’s home draw against Swindon.

And although striker Josh March should be able to return to action down in Sussex following a niggly hamstring issue, it was announced during the week that right-back Toby Sims is facing an extended spell on the sidelines with a back problem.

And Weaver has subsequently revealed that two of his midfielders have now been ruled out of Harrogate’s upcoming clash with the Red Devils.

“Mark Oxley still has six or seven weeks in cast,” the Town boss said.

“Toby Sims has had an injection in his back. Hopefully he reacts well to that, so he’s not out, long, long-term.

“Levi Sutton came off the bench [against Swindon] and felt his hamstring quite quickly, so he won’t be fit this weekend and Matty Daly won’t be fit this weekend.

“But we are not to affected in terms of the starting XI [from last weekend] and we are very competitive on the bench as well. You want to take good, honest lads on a trip like Crawley, because it’s a hard place to go.”

Town head to Crawley 14th in the League Two standings, just one point and two places worse off than the Red Devils.

And they head into the game off the back of four consecutive away league victories. Their hosts, by contrast, have taken only four points from the last 24 on offer.

Scott Lindsey’s team did however win last season’s corresponding fixture by a 3-1 score-line and are unbeaten in each of their previous four showdowns with the Sulphurites.