Shrewsbury's Hoole set to miss rest of season

Shrewsbury Town defender Luca Hoole is set to miss the rest of the season because of an ankle injury.

The 23-year-old suffered the injury during Town's 2-1 defeat by Walsall at the end of February and missed last Saturday's 3-2 win at Chesterfield.

Speaking before this weekend's home game against Cheltenham Town, head coach Gavin Cowan said Hoole's injury was "not good".

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "We'll be lucky to get him back before the end of the season - it's a real blow, I'm gutted for him.

"It's a mark of the lad he's still around the place smiling eating all the food and generally enjoying being around the environment - it's a kick in the teeth but he's such a great lad he wouldn't want the lads being dragged down."

Hoole has made 84 appearances for Salop, and scored four times, since joining the club from Bristol Rovers before the start of last season.

Despite the likelihood of him being unavailable for Town's remaining 10 games, Cowan said the player will not need surgery.

"No, it just needs some healing time, it will take a bit of time," he said.

"It's in a real strange place on his ankle but I know [head of medical] Chris Skitt is doing a brilliant job to make sure everyone gets back but this one is just going to take time."

Cowan, who was named February's manager of the month in League Two for steering his side to five wins in a row, has taken the club 13 points clear of the relegation zone as they aim for an seventh victory in their last eight games against the Robins at Croud Meadow.