NEWPORT County AFC will be without captain Aaron Wildig for Saturday’s League Two trip to Barrow because of concussion.
Exiles boss Nelson Jardim initially said that the midfielder was replaced in the opening stages of the second half at Swindon as a precaution after a blow to the head.
However, County’s medical staff have reassessed the incident and the skipper, who has scored three times this season, will now go through the return to play protocols while having mandatory time on the sidelines.
The 32-year-old will miss at least the game at Barrow and will be monitored ahead of the home game against Crewe a week on Saturday.
While his absence is a blow, the incident is a feather in the cap for County's medical team after the player was taken out of the firing line despite wanting to continue in Swindon.
“It is concussion. We revisited that through the protocols that the medical department do and had it confirmed,” said assistant head coach Dafydd Williams.
“I think it’s 12 days that Aaron will be out for and there’s a return to play protocol to abide by.”
Bryn Morris is likely to move back to midfield - and captain the side - for the trip to Cumbria.
He joined forces with Kieron Evans in the middle of the park in the EFL Trophy win against West Ham Under-21s with Kiban Rai and Bobby Kamwa on the wings in a 4-4-2.
Wildig joins a lengthy list of absentees with co-captain and centre-back James Clarke, right-backs Shane McLoughlin and Joe Thomas, midfielders Kai Whitmore and Jamie Miley, winger Michael Spellman and striker Hamzad Kargbo also sidelined.
Centre-back Ciaran Brennan returned in the EFL Trophy win against West Ham Under-21s but still has two games of a League Two suspension to serve, missing the trip to Barrow and home game with Crewe.
Newcastle prospect Miley had a hernia operation after being injured on debut against Cheltenham in the EFL Trophy but is only expected to be out for three or four weeks.
Winger Spellman suffered tendonitis on the eve of the season but is back running and was doing sprint drills before the win over the young Hammers.
On the plus side, central defender Kyle Jameson returned from suspension on Tuesday and produced an accomplished display.
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