Another hamstring injury for Jack Taylor threatens to derail plans for season opener but Clarke-Harris to return this week

Taylor limped off in the closing stages of the 2-0 defeat to Portsmouth and Darran Ferguson has confirmed that it was because of tightness in his hamstring.

It is potentially the third time that he has injured his hamstring and spent the summer and the start of pre-season recovering from a similar injury.

He will now be assessed but could be a doubt for the season opener against Luton next Saturday.

Ferguson said: “I’m worried because he’s done it before but then again Jonno had a knock on Tuesday and I was worried but it was all clear.

“We just hope and pray that Jack is all clear because that is the third hamstring he has done and that’s a fundamental problem.

“It might be fine, it might be cramp, he just felt tight.

“There’s no panic but we don’t want to lose Jack, he’s a top player and we certainly don’t want to lose him for a long time.”

Josh Knight has recovered from a bout of tonsillitis so is available as cover, as too is Ethan Hamilton. Ferguson also said in the week that he expects to have a defensive midfielder signed before the start of the season. Depending on the news from Taylor’s latest injury, that signing could be further accelerated.

He did also confirm though that Jonson Clarke-Harris will make his long-awaited return from injury against Kings Lynn on Tuesday (August 3). He will appear in the match alongside a stronger than expected Posh side.

He added: “We now go onto Tuesday and I’ll pick a team which is probably going to be stronger than I initially planned but this is why I always arrange a game the Tuesday before the season starts because there are always some players that need minutes.

“Definitely Jonno will play there, Josh Knight, Tomlinson, Ricky and Idris will probably play there too, so it will be a strong, strong team there.”