Carlisle United’s walking wounded has increased ahead of their crucial final two games of the season after Kelvin Etuhu was sidelined at Grimsby.

The midfielder limped off with what manager Steven Pressley said was a hamstring problem.

That 27th-minute blow could now rule Etuhu out of United’s final home match against Crawley this weekend.

It came after the 30-year-old recently returned from an ankle injury.

“I think it’s Kelvin’s hamstring again and that’s a blow,” Pressley said.

“We seem to have been very unfortunate with injuries of late. But we have to find a way.

"George [Glendon] came on and acquitted himself well considering he’s not played for some time. But losing Kelvin’s a blow.”

Pressley said it was unlikely sidelined captain Danny Grainger would return against Crawley.

“Probably the one with the better chance is [Jamie] Devitt but I’m unsure if he’s going to quite make it,” the manager added of his star midfielder who sat out yesterday’s defeat with a hamstring injury.

“Dev’s a big player and at times we missed his quality. But when players go out, others have to seize that opportunity. Unfortunately in attacking areas we didn’t do that.”

Devitt, Grainger and two players omitted from the squad - Connor Simpson and Peter Grant - watched the game with United's travelling fans at Blundell Park.

Striker Mark Cullen yesterday returned from an injury lay-off as a second-half substitute