Harrogate Town will be without star player Stephen Duke-McKenna for around three months in another injury blow to their fight to stay in the Football League.

The Sulphurites have been beset by injuries this season and it has hurt them badly, leaving them in League Two's relegation zone after 19 games of the season.

Since returning from a loan at St Johnstone in the second half of 2024-25, forward Duke-McKenna has been one of the leading lights.

So to see him leaving Tuesday's game against Accrington Stanley on crutches days after key midfielder Bryn Morris picked up an injury was a real blow.

INJURY: Stephen Duke-McKenna (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

placeholder image — INJURY: Stephen Duke-McKenna (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

"Unfortunately it's not good news," confirmed manager Simon Weaver. "He's got a broken metatarsal and we're looking at 12 weeks out.

"Our thoughts go out to Dukey, he's made a big impression on the team this year, scored some important goals and he'll be missed."

Duke-McKenna did not find the net in Scotland having only scored once in the first half of the campaign, his first in Yorkshire.

But he has five league goals this term – level with Jack Muldoon at the top of the Harrogate charts – plus one in the FA Cup. He also scored for Guayana in both their November friendlies, against Bonaire and Antigua and Barbuda.

Ex-Pompey man Bryn Morris helped end Harrogate Town’s run of 20 games without a win. Picture: Tony Johnson

On Middlesbrough academy product Morris, Weaver said: "It's a few weeks he'll be out with a thigh strain. He'll pulled up in training last Thursday.

"You could see by his contorted face at the time he was upset, he knew he'd done something.

"We got him scanned and it revealed a thigh strain that will keep him out."

Harrogate signed free agent Kyle Jameson and re-registered retired midfielder Josh Falkingham after November's draw at Notts County, where they only had enough fit players to name three substitutes. Shawn McCoulsky was the only outfielder to have played league football.

Defender Jameson and academy coach Falkingham have both been unused substitutes in all four matches since signing.

"It has been difficult," said Weaver, whose side have not won in the league since ending Gillingham's 21-match unbeaten run in September. "You're trying to manage human beings first and foremost and keep them upbeat but they are looking around and seeing depleted ranks.

“It's difficult for the physio department, we've not had Rachel (McGeachie, the physio who is on maternity leave) either the last few months and her experience end expertise.

"They've been inundated with injuries.

"It's a testing time but we have the opportunity of standing strong together and making sure in the changing room especially we rise to the challenge now."