Crawley have suffered a huge blow ahead of their clash with Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena today.

Skipper Josh Simpson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up in training during the week.

Simpson only returned to action last weekend in the 2-0 victory over Yeovil Town after being sidelined since suffering an ankle injury on the opening day at Barnsley.

Bobson Bawling is given the nod to take Simpson’s place in midfield with the rest of the starting XI remaining unchanged.

Bawling could feature in the advanced midfield role occupied by Simpson against the Glovers or may play out wide with either Gwion Edwards or Jimmy Smith slotting in behind lone striker Izale McLeod.

Conor Henderson is left out of the matchday squad for the second week in a row but Gavin Tomlin comes back on to the bench after missing the victory over Yeovil with a leg injury picked up at Preston North End.

Coventry are also missing their skipper with Reda Johnson serving the last of a three-match ban. Midfielder Danny Swanson is ruled out with a knee injury but Conor Thomas returns.

Coventry (3-5-2): Allsop, Willis, Webster, Hines; Phillips, O’Brien, Thomas, Fleck, Pugh; Jackson, McQuoid. Subs: Burge, Coulibaly, Miller, Barton, Tudgay, Clarke, Finch.

Crawley: Ashdown, Oyebanjo, Sadler, Leacock, Walsh; Smith, Bawling, Elliott, Keane, Edwards; McLeod. Subs: Jensen, Bradley, Banya, Tomlin, Wright, Young, Harrold.