NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh is set to switch his attention to central defence after the Exiles suffered yet another injury blow.

The Argus can reveal Ismail Yakubu has suffered a knee injury and will be out of tonight’s rearranged FA Trophy cup clash with Carshalton Athletic.

A trip to either Evo-Stick Premier outfit Northwich Victoria or Conference South Hampton and Richmond awaits this evening’s winners and boss Edinburgh is still set on trying to reach Wembley, despite the competition creating a fixture pile-up. However, his most pressing desire is for reinforcements.

“Yak’s injury means we might have to think again, I was keen on a striker but a defender might well be more pressing for us now,” he said. “Our current forwards lack for experience, but they are full of goals and full of running and that gives me confidence.”

Edinburgh was content with yesterday’s quarter-final draw: “We’ve avoided a team from our own division and you wouldn’t ask for more than that, but Carshalton will be thinking the same thing.

“We have to be at our best and try to get going on a winning run. There is no point doing well in the cup if it distracts from the league, but I don’t think that will be the case. Darryl Knights who suffered a flu bout over the weekend could join Yakubu on the sidelines.

* Next Tuesday’s scheduled league visit to Cambridge United has been postponed due to the U’s cup commitments.