Chris Beech said it would have been wrong to risk Aaron Hayden in Carlisle United's final game of the season after he pulled up injured in the warm-up.

Beech said the Blues' vice-captain complained of discomfort in his hamstring as United prepared for their clash with Walsall.

Centre-half Hayden's withdrawal meant fit-again Rod McDonald stepped back into the side at short notice on his return to the squad.

It was the latest piece of defensive injury misfortune in a recent period which has seen Hayden's fellow centre-halves McDonald, Rhys Bennett and Morgan Feeney all sidelined.

Head coach Beech said of Hayden: "It was his hamstring, he just didn’t feel 100 per cent.

"He just felt it in the warm-up. [I think] it's just a catch up of all the games.

"It’s probably come from not having a game on Tuesday…because the body goes into a bit of...shock. It’s probably that.

"I don’t think it’s serious but there’s no point risking him.

"Rod was fit, training at the back end of the week, was due to be on the bench and thankfully he was because he could come in and play."

McDonald's promotion to the side for his first appearance in four games meant teenage winger Lewis Bell stepped up to join the 18-man squad.

While Hayden's injury denied him the chance to add to his 49 appearances this season, United had other injury absentees for their final game.

Striker Offrande Zanzala, who limped out of last weekend's win at Leyton Orient with a hamstring injury, did not return to the squad.

Nor was defender Bennett fit to return since suffering an injury at Cheltenham.

It remains to be seen whether the latter pair have played their last games for Carlisle, with both Zanzala and Bennett out of contract.

The same applies to January signing Feeney, who recently returned to fitness after a broken foot and featured in last month's reserve final against Bournemouth, but has not been involved for the first team since his January move from Sunderland.