ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman is hopeful frontman Kayden Jackson will be fit for the trip to Port Vale but revealed that loanee goalkeeper Max Stryjek has suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury.

The Polish stopper, on loan at the Wham Stadium from Sunderland, lasted just nine minutes of his debut against Morecambe earlier this month and it was initially hoped he would only miss a few weeks, but Coleman said his absence was likely to stretch into a second month.

Defender Ben Richards-Everton also remains sidelined having not played for the Reds since dislocating his shoulder in the draw at Notts County.

But there is better news on striker Jackson, who came off in the second half of the weekend draw with Cheltenham.

Coleman said: "He’s had a couple of big bangs on his thigh and then on his glute during the game.

“They’re more impact injuries rather than long-term injuries. They’re uncomfortable but as a striker he will be keen to get out there and play because you can’t score if your sitting in the stands and I thought that he looked a big threat on Saturday and we lost that impetus when he went off."

Jackson scored against the Robins on Saturday to take his tally for the season to six.

Should he not recover in time for the trip to Vale, Leeds loanee Mallik Wilks is likely to come into the side while Jonny Edwards is another option to partner Billy Kee up front.

Meanwhile, Coleman said the prolonged absence of Stryjek has led to him exploring the possibility of signing a free agent goalkeeper as cover for current No.1 Aaron Chapman, while the Reds boss hopes defender Richards-Everton will be back in the fold in the next week or so.

Of Richards-Everton and Stryjek Coleman added: “Ben won’t be long. He’s stepping up his involvement this week, but Max is going to be a bit longer than we anticipated.

“He’s had another scan on his hamstring and it isn’t good news, but we’ll soldier on and hopefully within three or four weeks he’ll be back training with us.

“We could only sign a goalkeeper who’s unattached, we can’t have an emergency loan, but the free agent market is something that we exploring for cover at the moment.”