Jack Stretton added to Carlisle United’s never-ending injury list with a hamstring problem at Doncaster Rovers.

The striker limped off after 25 minutes of the Blues’ New Year’s Day defeat.

The Derby County loanee will now be assessed after he joined a litany of 2022/23 injuries for Paul Simpson’s promotion-chasers.

Stretton, 21, pulled up when chasing a ball in the first half of the 2-1 loss at the Eco-Power Stadium.

It came three days after the frontman had been substituted as a precaution in the 3-0 win at Crewe Alexandra.

Manager Simpson said: “We’ll see what he’s like tomorrow. I don’t honestly know how bad it is.

“We’ve just said, ‘Let’s not take any more risks, let’s get him out of it’, and we’ve just got to wait and see.

READ MORE: Doncaster 2 Carlisle 1 - as it happened

“All I know is that he felt his hamstring. It’s really disappointing because we’re trusting players…he told us there was no problem going into the game, he trained yesterday with no issues whatsoever, he said he was fine, and then he said a ball went over his head, he stretched up to control it and he just felt something.”

Stretton, who was replaced by Tobi Sho-Silva at Doncaster, was the latest in a string of hamstring injuries to hit the Blues this season.

Simpson stressed that United have looked closely at the matter but not unearthed any particular reason for the problems.

“It’s becoming a real sorry tale now that over the first 24 league games we’ve had horrendous…and I’m going to say luck, because we’ve looked into whether we’re doing something wrong, and we are honest, and don’t feel as though we are doing anything wrong, it’s just the nature of the game,” the Carlisle boss added.

“I know people are talking about [the fact] they’d like to look into the women’s game as to why there’s all these ACL injuries – well, I’d love somebody to be looking into the men’s game to find out why we’re getting all these hamstring injuries.

“I’ve watched a game on TV today involving Blackburn, and one of their players has come off with a hamstring. It’s happening everywhere up and down the country.

“We need to get to the bottom of it. It’s disappointing.”

Simpson said United expect to receive clarity on Ryan Edmondson’s shoulder injury when he sees a surgeon on Wednesday.

But the Blues boss said he expects the striker to miss the “majority” of the season.

In brighter news, Omari Patrick is close to a comeback from a hamstring injury and Simpson hopes the forward will return to contention in time for United’s next game against Newport County on January 14.

Ben Barclay is also close to a return from an ankle injury.