Harrogate Town's Stephen Dooley to miss 'several weeks' with 'nasty' head injury sustained during Gainsborough Trinity clash

The 33-year-old had to be substituted in the 54th minute of last week’s second-round tie following a sickening collision at the side of the Wetherby Road pitch.

Chasing the ball in an attempt to prevent it running out for a throw-in after Town had cleared their lines following a corner, the Northern Irishman received a forearm to the back of the head from Trinity captain Dylan Cogill and was sent flying into a collapsible goal that was sat in front of the Kitching Plant Hire Stand advertising hoardings.

That head-first collision left Dooley bleeding heavily from a “nasty gash”, and has resulted in him suffering concussion, ruling him out of this week’s fixtures against Salford City and AFC Wimbledon – and beyond.

"It will take him several weeks to get right,” Harrogate manager Simon Weaver revealed.

"It’s a nasty gash. It is probably worse than any of us envisaged after the game and he did suffer concussion.

"It’s horrible really, when you see someone who has been through something quite traumatic and he’s shaken up a bit at the minute. There’s a bit of whiplash as well.

“It was a big clash for his head to take and he has a nasty scar.”

Addressing Gainsborough defender Cogill’s involvement in the incident, Weaver said that he was disappointed that Trinity’s skipper had felt the need to give Dooley a “helping hand” off the pitch, but stressed that he didn’t feel there was any malice in his actions.

"He [Dooley] had lost balance, and I think the guy gave him a bit of a helping hand on his way down, but neither of us felt that the player had set out to have that outcome,” the Town boss said.

“It’s a physical game and people, especially when the stakes are high, like to leave a bit in sometimes, to show a bit of strength.

"I think it was probably the wrong opportunity to do that, when someone is off balance, because you’re not proving anything with that.

"So there’s an element of disappointment that the player felt that he had to give him a helping hand, but I don’t think for any moment think that the player has set out to harm Dools. So we’ll not be seeking an apology. It was an unfortunate accident.”

Dooley, who joined Town from Rochdale as a free agent in the summer of 2022, has been one of the Sulphurites’ standout performers so far this season, impressing on a regular basis in the centre of midfield.

And Weaver is certain that his calming presence in the engine room will be missed.

"I don’t think anyone has been better on a consistent basis this season than Stephen Dooley,” the Harrogate chief added.

"He has been outstanding and, in his own quiet way, he is a leader off the pitch and does things right. He gives me confidence as a manager with his ball-playing ability and ability to run games, so we will have to find another way.”

Dooley has made 18 appearances for Town in all competitions so far this term, scoring one goal, against Bradford City.