Crawley boss Dean Saunders has described the loss of Richard Wood as “disastrous timing”.

The big centre-back has been recalled early by Rotherham from his loan spell with the Reds.

Wood has scored three goals in ten appearances since joining in February, helping Crawley to five wins and two draws in that period.

He has also been part of a defence that has kept clean sheets in three of the Reds’ last four games as they have climbed out of the League One relegation zone.

Crawley are still only a point above the drop zone despite their excellent recent run and have three huge games against fellow strugglers in the next eight days.

Tomorrow they travel to Scunthorpe, who are only above them on goal difference, then they visit Walsall on Tuesday before hosting third-bottom Notts County at the Checkatrade.com Stadium next Saturday.

Wood is the third centre-back Saunders has lost in a week.

Fellow loanee Darren Ward has a foot injury which Saunders initially feared would keep him out for the rest of the season, although the Reds now hope he will be back sooner than that.

Dean Leacock, replacing Ward, suffered a recurrence of a groin injury which had kept him out since Boxing Day in the goalless draw at Crewe on Good Friday.

Both Ward and Leacock are definitely out tomorrow so Saunders must choose whether to hand a debut to Kelly Youga or play either Marvin Elliott or Lanre Oyebanjo out of position in the centre of defence alongside Sonny Bradley.

Former Charlton defender Youga is lacking match fitness after a spell playing in China but is available to play if needed.

Asked about the loss of Wood, Saunders said: “I would to thank him for what he has done, he has been great for the club. He has scored some goals, defended really well and been part of the team that has kept three clean sheets in four games.

“I would like to thank Rotherham for letting us have him. They have got a call back on him and although it is not a good time for us to lose him – a disastrous time to lose him – they have loaned him to us so thanks to them.”

Anthony Wordsworth completes a two-match suspension this weekend while Conor Henderson and Josh Simpson are still sidelined by injury.