Harrogate Town's Max Wright suffers another injury set-back while on loan with FC Halifax Town

Harrogate Town winger Max Wright. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The 24-year-old winger was sent to the Shay in a bid to build his match-fitness following his recovery from a serious ankle problem which ruled him out for the first four-and-a-half months of the 2022/23 season.

And things looked to be progressing nicely for the former Grimsby Town forward, who delivered some impressive performances on the right flank as he made seven consecutive starts with the National League outfit.

But he was substituted at half-time of last Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Maidenhead with a tight hamstring and missed Halifax’s 5-0 thrashing of Wealdstone in midweek.

And a scan has subsequently revealed that he has suffered a tear to the muscle at the top of his leg.

"Max has a grade 2B tear of hamstring, which is really unfortunate for the lad,” Town boss Simon Weaver explained to the Harrogate Advertiser.

“He is looking at around four to six weeks out, so he’s back with us now.

"It’s a shame for Max. He had enjoyed a decent run of games and made a good impact at Halifax. I’ve been watching coverage of their games and went to see him play in a match against Barnet.

“We sent him there so he could get minutes under his belt and he was getting that, building himself up and looking good.

“Naturally he’s frustrated. And he’s certainly had worse runs with injuries than most lads his age, but I’ve told Max that injuries are part and parcel of the game and he just has to keep his head up and keep working hard.”

Wright joined Harrogate on trial in the summer but picked up an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly against Barnsley, just hours after it was announced that he had signed a permanent deal with the club.

Following more than four months out, he belatedly made his Town debut as a substitute against the Mariners on Boxing Day before going on to make two more brief cameos from the bench.

But he was made available for loan in January with Weaver stating that he wanted Wright to go out and get match-fit in order that he could challenge for a place in the Sulphurites’ side during the latter months of the campaign.

And it is not just this term that he has suffered with injury issues. Wright managed just 13 appearances in the National League last term, scoring one goal, and played just eight games in 2020/21 due to a combination of thigh, hamstring and ankle issues.