Paul Simpson said striker Joshua Kayode “made himself unavailable” for Carlisle United’s defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.

But the Blues manager would not go into more detail about the absence of the striker from the matchday squad.

Rotherham United loan striker Kayode, who has only just returned from long-term injuries, was missing from the team sheet for the last home game of the season.

Having made substitute appearances in United’s previous two games – his first appearances for seven months – he was out of the 18 at Brunton Park on Saturday.

And manager Simpson told the News & Star after the game: “I got a phonecall at 9.30am today he had declared himself unavailable for the game today. That’s all I can say.”

Asked if Kayode was injured, Simpson repeated that the striker was “unavailable” and declined to offer more detail.

“I can’t give any more on it, to be honest with you,” he added. “We’ll have to just address it over the next couple of days and decide where we go from there.”

The 23-year-old’s absence saw Simpson involve teenage Ukrainian forward Anton Dudik, who made his second professional appearance as a substitute in the 3-1 defeat.

Youth team player Aran Fitzpatrick, in the squad to replace the injured Jack Robinson, made his senior debut as a sub late on.

Simpson, meanwhile, said defender Sam Lavelle would be assessed after going off with an injury in the second half.

“He took a whack on his ankle and he just said it was too sore,” said the Blues boss.

“Thankfully we had Hunts [Paul Huntington] on the bench and he could slot in there.

“I haven’t asked [yet], I don’t know how severe it is, how bad it was, but he said it was bad enough that he needed to come off.”