Paul Hayes was injured just 10 minutes into Saturday's FA Cup tie
Scunthorpe United face being without striker Paul Hayes for a month following his facial injury in the weekend FA Cup win over Alfreton.
Hayes underwent surgery in hospital on Monday to repair a damaged cheekbone sustained after just 10 minutes.
Manager Nigel Adkins told BBC Look North: "It's not nice. You'd like to think the player didn't intend it.
"Hopefully he will have a good operation and all being well he'll be in contention in a month's time."
The loss of Hayes, who has scored nine goals in all competitions so far this season. could be felt by promotion-chasing Scunthorpe in the coming weeks.
But fringe player Ben May, who made a scoring appearance as substitute for Hayes on Saturday, now looks set to get an extended first team run.
May scored his first goal of the season against Alfreton, putting the Iron ahead just 20 minutes after coming on.
The big 24-year-old striker had only previously scored once in 10 months since signing from Millwall in January.
Adkins also revealed that he could recall Jonathon Forte once his loan period at Notts County has expired in the middle of December.
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