Shrewsbury Town dealt another major injury blow with Tom Bayliss set for spell out

The former Coventry and Preston man had started all but two of Salop's League One games this season, but he picked up an ankle injury during the first half of last weekend's 4-0 defeat at Blackpool and left the ground in a protective boot.

And Matt Taylor has given an update on Bayliss' fitness.

"He had a scan on Tuesday, " he said.

"It is disappointing news but it perhaps is not as bad as we first feared it would be.

"He will be on the sidelines for probably six to eight weeks I would imagine.

"We were fearful it would be a period that extends that with an operation but that was not the case, so it has been positive news for Tom.

"Obviously, it is another injury that we would do without, but it is part and parcel of the way things have shaped for us at the moment.

"The injuries we have got have not been ones where I would question the training schedule, or question what we are doing in the gym.

"They are contact injuries that you cannot do anything about. I am really disappointed for Tom but now somebody else gets the opportunity.

"It is a problem with the ligament within his ankle, it is not as bad, the scan on Tuesday gave us positive news."

Elsewhere Town defender Morgan Feeney is getting nearer to his return to first-team action – he injured his hamstring in the 1-0 against Northampton at the start of October.

"Getting closer, Morgan is working really hard," Taylor said.

"It is not easy when you are out, especially with the injury that Morgan had, and where the problem originated from which was his back.

"He has had a procedure that had made his body feel slightly different to what it was. But Morgan is OK he is working extremely hard and I am also conscious that we have three games in six days after Saturday so we are going to need to utilise the squad as well.

"Morgan is getting fitter whether he is ready for the weekend I do not know yet."