DARRAGH O’CONNOR is set to miss the next two months of action.

The York City centre-back has received the results of his scan after an injury forced him into an early substitution against Wealdstone earlier this month, with Adam Hinshelwood initially holding out hope that it wouldn’t be a long absence for O’Connor.

However, Hinshelwood has confirmed to the Press that O’Connor’s injury is more severe than initially believed, with the defended ruled out for the next two months.

It’s not all doom and gloom for York however, with Hinshelwood providing a positive update on both Dan Batty and Adam Crookes.

“He’s had the results back, and it’s a bit more severe than we anticipated,” Hinshelwood admitted to the Press.

“We’re looking at another couple of months, before Darragh will be back training with us.

“It’s a big blow obviously, he’ll do all he can and work tirelessly as he is a really good professional and a good person to have around the training ground.

“We’re hoping that he will be back sooner rather than later.

“He’s [Crookes] really good, he’s back with his boots on and joined in the training sessions today.

“He is probably two weeks from joining in fully, he’s just in tight area sessions and can’t fully open up on his hamstring yet in big distances.

“The tight area stuff, he is coming through well and will do that for a couple of weeks.

“We’ll look to open him up a bit, but I’m really pleased to have Crookesy and Dan Batty back in training today, it was really good for the group.

“He’s [Batty] back training today.

“It’s been a good nearly two weeks out for Dan, so we’ll see how he reacts after today’s session.

“It was his first proper session back out on the grass, but he has come through it today and he seems okay.

“We’ll see how he recovers tomorrow, we’ll have to have a look at it and see what the best protocol is for Dan.

“Nearly two weeks without training, and then coming into such a tough fixture, we’ll have to have a look at it.

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“When you’ve got a good squad and a good team, a player that was doing so well at the start of the season, and I think that he was in the National League Team of the Week near enough every week, a regular starter in that.

“He was performing to a really high level, it’s a challenge to the players that do have the shirt to keep these players out, and to not make it easy for them.

“They’ve certainly done that, there are some real big selection problems, if you’d like.

“That’s how you want it as a manager, I’d much rather prefer to make these difficult decisions going into a Friday.

“We have a big decision to make on Dan.”

Ashley Nathaniel-George was York’s only casualty of Tuesday night’s 3-0 victory over Solihull Moors, being forced into a substitution just minutes after scoring, having suffered a minor hamstring injury.

Hinshelwood is still waiting for a scan on Nathaniel-George, but holds hope that the injury is nothing too serious.

“He hasn’t had a scan, but Sam [Mannings] our physio has had a look.

Ashley Nathaniel-George's hamstring injury isn't as bad as initially feared.Ashley Nathaniel-George's hamstring injury isn't as bad as initially feared. (Image: Tom Poole) “He’s relatively pleased that it won’t be nothing too sinister, probably two weeks before he can train and then three weeks before selection for Ashley.

“I think that when you see a player come off for a hamstring injury, you’re happy with those kind of odds.

“He’s in a good place, we’re hoping that we will see him back out on the grass sooner rather than later.”

Levi Andoh has also returned to the Minstermen after his one-month loan spell with Darlington concluded, with the full-back managing five appearances and 335 minutes whilst working under former City boss Steve Watson.

The Dutchman has returned to York with an injury however, similarly to Zanda Siziba and Thierry Latty-Fairweather.

“He’s got a bit of an injury at the moment, him, Zanda and Thierry are all back.

“They’ve picked up a few knocks, but with Levi we don’t think it’s anything too sinister.

“For Zanda, it’s his knee, he’s just tweaked the inside of his knee so we’re hoping it’s nothing too severe.

“Thierry is back running and stuff now, so I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a long-term problem for Thierry.

“With Levi, he’s just back from injury so we’ll get them all back up to speed and see where the squad is at.

“If it means them going out again and getting more game time, they’re a bit younger and need that experience, need that game time to improve as players.”

Hinshelwood also provided an update on experienced midfielder Paddy McLaughlin, who, despite penning a one-year contract extension in the Summer, has found game time limited so far this season.

McLaughlin has managed just 18 minutes of action so far this season, often being introduced from the bench in the later stages of the game, and was not involved in the York squad for Tuesday night’s win at Solihull.

The City boss ruled out any chance of McLaughlin leaving the club in search of first-team football, and confirmed that he had held a conversation with the stalwart about his current playing time.

“He’s valuable just to have him on the bench for us on Tuesday was really important.

“He drives them and is such a key figure to training, a role model.

“I know Paddy, he will want to feature more as it is in his nature.

“He’s a winner, a professional footballer at the end of the day and as a professional, you want to play.

“I’ve had that conversation with Paddy today, I’ve just said that there will be times throughout the season where we will need a bit of steel and a bit of experience, and that he will come into his own then.

“At the moment, we’re probably trying to give the younger players that we have brought to the club and see more of a long-term future for at the club, their opportunity.

“Let them make mistakes, come in and out of the team.

“Paddy will still have a big part to play when the pitches are a bit torn up and are not at their best.”