Carlisle United striker Ryan Edmondson is facing another spell on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder in the defeat at Northampton Town.
The frontman had to be substituted in the second half of the 2-1 defeat against his former club.
Manager Paul Simpson said Edmondson will now need to have the injury further assessed – with the ex-Leeds United man almost certain to miss United’s festive games.
“The big disappointment to go on top of losing the game is that Ryan Edmondson has dislocated his shoulder,” Simpson said.
“The Northampton doctor here has done a brilliant job and popped it back in for him, but we’ll see.
“I don’t know whether it’s a scan or an x-ray, but no doubt he’ll have to see a specialist about that, and that’s a massive blow for Ryan, and for us as well.
READ MORE: Match report on Carlisle's defeat at Northampton
“I think he’s just starting to find his feet and look a real threat. That’s a blow to him and we’ll probably be missing for a while.”
Simpson said his initial reaction to the challenge from Cobblers defender Aaron McGowan which led to Edmondson’s injury was that it was “clumsy”.
“I don’t know if it was any more, I haven’t seen it again. I’m not going to start having a go at any of their players for that,” he added.
Edmondson now looks likely to miss the Boxing Day clash with Bradford City as well as further fixtures.
It is the latest setback for the 21-year-old who has already endured an injury-hit first half of the season since his summer move.
“I’d be gobsmacked [if he’s back in the short term] because he has dislocated it,” added Simpson.
“Sometimes they choose to do surgery to pin it, other times they don’t. I don’t know at this moment what’s going to happen, we have to wait and see.
“But I’m gutted for him. I’m disappointed for me but that’s being selfish – I’m more disappointed for Ryan, because he’s just starting to show what a big threat he can be. We’ve just got to deal with it.”
Simpson was also without Jon Mellish to a knee injury at Northampton.
He has not ruled out the defender’s chances of returning on Boxing Day.
United’s boss added: “We’re hoping it’s short term. Whether Boxing Day’s going to be too early we have to wait and see.
READ MORE: Northampton Town v Carlisle United as it happened
“He got some bone bruising around his knee in the game against Sutton [on December 3]. We though he was ok, he trained, [but] it started to swell up and it got worse.
“He’s got a couple of Grade One sprains around his knee joint and he had some swelling from the bone bruising.
“The swelling has now gone down, we’re hoping we can build him up over the next [few] days until Boxing Day, and he might be fit, but maybe it’ll be too early – we’re just going to have to wait and see.”
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