SCUNTHORPE United manager Brian Laws will arrive at Bootham Crescent tomorrow stripped to the bare bones because of an ever deepening injury crisis at Glanford Park.

Former York City favourite and club captain Nigel Pepper is out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg in the Iron's second game of the season at Kidderminster.

Defensive rock Mark Jackson is also out for three months after cracking an ankle bone in Scunthorpe's first game of the season at home to Macclesfield.

To make matters worse for Laws, central defender Nathan Stanton suffered an ankle injury in Tuesday night's 4-1 Worthington Cup defeat at the hands of Wigan and is rated doubtful.

And fellow defensive pillar Stuart Thom, currently on loan from Oldham, is still recovering from a knee injury that has ruled him out of United's last two games.

Neither Thom nor Stanton were able to train yesterday, forcing Laws to draft youngsters Lee Ridley and James Cotterill into his squad. Neither player has first team experience.

Versatile midfielder Lee Hodges became another victim of the club's fitness jinx ahead of Saturday when he too picked up an ankle injury against Wigan although he is expected to have recovered in time to face the Minstermen.

Such is the injury problems that Laws cast his eye over four trialists last night as Scunthorpe's reserves took on Stoke City's second string at Glandford Park.

The most notable name was ex-Walsall midfielder Bjarni Larusson, and Laws has not ruled out drafting new faces in quickly should the Icelandic star and his fellow trialists catch the eye.

Larusson, 24, joined Walsall from Hibernian in September, 1998 and played a big part in the club winning promotion to division one 12 months ago.

Despite the injury worries, Scunthorpe, who were relegated from Division Two last season, have enjoyed a promising start and currently lie in fourth place after three wins and a draw from their opening fixtures.

Striker and captain in Pepper's absence Steve Torpey will be looking to score his first goal away from home since his record £175,000 move from Bristol City in February.

Torpey has scored four goals already this season, all at Glandford Park and all with his head.