Boss Dean Saunders faces a race to sign a defender before Saturday’s clash with Swindon.

Reds are likely to be without three centre backs for the trip to the County Ground when victory could lift them out of the League One relegation zone.

Josh Walsh serves the second game of a three match ban while Darren Ward is ineligible as part of his loan agreement from Swindon.

Dean Leacock is also unlikely to be available after suffering a setback in his recovery from a groin problem which has sidelined him since Boxing Day.

That leaves Sonny Bradley as the only fit central defender for the game against a Swindon side who have scored the second most goals in the division this season.

Saunders said: “Dean is struggling. He is still hurting in his groin and is going to have an X-ray this week to see what the problem is.

“I don’t know if Banj (Lanre Oyebanjo) is going to be fit or not and with Joe and Wardy out as well I have got to find someone by the weekend.”

Striker Matt Harrold will also miss the trip to Swindon after having an injection in his other Achilles but Mathias Pogba is expected to recover from the dead leg which forced him off in the second half of Saturday’s 5-1 win over Barnsley.