ACCRINGTON Stanley boss Paul Cook has admitted that injury could yet rule out Dean Winnard and Sean Hessey for the rest of the season.

Winnard has been forced on to the sidelines in the past couple of weeks after it was decided that the skipper could no longer battle on with problems with both ankles.

Hessey has been unable to shake off a hamstring injury since his last appearance in the first team on January 2, leaving Stanley short of central defenders.

Despite his 5ft 6in frame, on-loan left back Michael Liddle had been ably filling in at centre back but has returned to Sunderland for the time being after picking up a three-match ban for a red card at Southend on Saturday.

Ian Craney (ankle) and Bryan Hughes (hamstring) are also absent.

“We’ve got a few lads who look like being out for the season so our numbers aren’t great,” Cook said.

“It doesn’t look great for Dean Winnard and Sean Hessey at the minute, they look like they’re struggling to get back involved.

“Ian Craney has been out for a long time now, he’s not going to be back in the immediate but we’d like to think he will be back sooner rather than later.

“Bryan Hughes has been out for a couple of weeks and he’s a couple more weeks away.”

Stanley host in-form Northampton tomorrow after securing draws in each of their last three games.

Cook, looking for his first win as Reds boss, said: “I went down to Dagenham on Tuesday to watch them and they were possibly as good a side as I’ve seen so far in the division. But we’re improving steadily and we think we can win.”