Teenage Carlisle United prospect Aran Fitzpatrick is out of action with a hamstring injury, Mike Williamson has confirmed.

The third-year scholar picked up the injury in a recent outing for loan club Workington Reds.

The problem is keeping the 18-year-old on the sidelines as Reds bid to continue climbing the Northern Premier League Premier Division table.

Fitzpatrick went off in the first half of Reds’ 3-0 defeat at Gainsborough Trinity earlier this month.

He has not featured since and Williamson said: “He picked up a hamstring [injury].

“Hopefully it shouldn’t be too long, but it can be tricky.”

Fitzpatrick will again miss out for Reds as they host runaway leaders Macclesfield at Borough Park this weekend.

He is one of three United loanees on the Workington books, with Sam Hetherington and Jake Allan featuring regularly for Mark Fell’s side.

Allan last weekend scored his first goal for the west Cumbrians in their 3-1 win at Mickleover.

Both he and Hetherington both got their latest starts in Workington’s 2-0 midweek home victory over Basford United, which took them up to 11th in the NPL Premier table.

Jake AllanJake Allan (Image: Richard Parkes)

The Reds’ form is being fuelled by the impressive goalscoring of former United forward Steven Rigg, who has fired 14 goals in his last 11 games, including their second goal against Basford.

The 32-year-old ex-Penrith favourite has 15 for the campaign.

United’s young trio at Workington are among five players out on loan from the Blues at the moment.

Forward Anton Dudik remains at National League North club South Shields, who face Peterborough Sports on Saturday.

Defender Josh O’Brien is with Dan Kirkup’s Carlisle City but has been sidelined with an ankle injury for a number of weeks.