Carlisle United are sweating on the fitness of defenders Bevis Mugabi and Terell Thomas amid fears they could be sidelined for weeks.
The two centre-backs had to go off injured in the 3-1 victory over Hartlepool United.
Both players complained of discomfort in their hamstrings and will now be further assessed.
Mugabi and Thomas will now be doubts for Saturday's trip to Scunthorpe United - and head coach Mark Hughes said there is a risk the duo could be ruled out for a period of time.
“They [both] said it was tightness in the hamstrings,” Hughes said.
“If they’ve pulled the hamstrings, then that's going to be a minimum four or five weeks.
“So that’s a concern for us.”
Mugabi went off after just 14 minutes as he went down hurt after making a sliding challenge on Pools’ Besart Topalloj.
Captain Thomas then had to be replaced on the hour mark as he also went down.
Carlisle readjusted in both cases with Morgan Feeney coming off the bench to replace Mugabi, and Jack Ellis moving back from midfield in Thomas’s place, as Josh Grant came on in the centre of the park. Feeney also took the captain's armband when Thomas went off.
“I thought Morgan played exceptionally well, Jack came in and acquitted himself really well, and we've got Aaron Hayden, who was available as well,” added Hughes.
“So we've got good experience to come in if we have to.”
Also on the fitness front, Hughes said midfielder Harvey Macadam was out of the squad as he continues recovering from illness, and the ex-Morecambe man is touch and go for Saturday’s trip to Scunthorpe.
“We haven't seen him back at the club since Saturday,” said the Blues boss.
“He's quite poorly. He might be an option [for this weekend], but obviously he will have missed a whole week's training, so he might be an option off the bench. But we'll have to wait and see.”
Hughes also explained why Jordan Jones was again out of the squad.
He said the winger had been nursing a thigh injury, over which Carlisle did not want to take any risks given his recent absences, while illness has also hit the former Wigan Athletic man.
“Jordan's just had a couple of setbacks, and he had a bit of Covid, so that's set him back as well,” said Hughes.
“He's still in and around the place. We got close to giving him a run in the side, but it wasn't to be.
“He'll be available soon, very soon.”
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