Josh Falkingham ruled out for three months as Harrogate Town suffer yet another injury blow

The Sulphurites already had a significant number of players ruled out – most of them with long-term problems – before receiving the news that the 34-year-old midfielder requires surgery on a lower leg issue.

Falkingham was forced from the field of play just 14 minutes into last Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to AFC Wimbledon, but manager Simon Weaver was initially hopeful that his injury was not a serious one.

But a scan has revealed that the former Leeds United man has actually sustained plenty of damage.

"Falks is not in a good way and he’s going to have to have surgery on his lower leg,” the Harrogate boss explained.

"He’s got three injuries in one from that incident. It’s complicated. It’s a lower shin injury, there’s a fragment of bone chipped off the tibia, I think it is, and it’s left an unstable joint there. It needs surgery to enable him to have proper stability.

"He will be out for 12 weeks and it is a huge blow for us as a team, and for him personally.”

Town were already without defender Liam Gibson (hamstring), midfielder George Thomson (achilles) and winger Ellis Taylor (quad), with none of those players expected to be available for selection again until after the turn of the year.

Midfielder Stephen Dooley (head) is said to be making some progress, but Weaver rates him as extremely doubtful for this Saturday’s League Two trip to Tranmere Rovers (12.30pm).