Key defender Graham Coughlan is facing up to a potential three-week absence from Shrewsbury Town action.

The former Rotherham stopper lasted just 21 minutes of last night’s 1-0 defeat to Carlisle before picking up a hamstring strain on the night his team bowed out of the Carling Cup.

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Manager Paul Simpson has admitted he may have to do without the experienced Coughlan for at least the next two games.

“Graham has got a hamstring strain and it looks quite a bad one,” said the Town boss.

“The early indications are that it is a grade one tear and it’s likely to be two or three weeks.

“He has not had a muscle strain before so it’s new to him, but when a player like Graham goes down down you know he is hurt.

“The doctor and physio have had a look at it so it’s just a case of letting it settle down now and getting a scan done and assessing it.”

The news will come as a major blow to Town, with Coughlan displaying impressive early-season form.

But Simpson was quick to praise the performance of replacement Kelvin Langmead.

“The reason we lost that game wasn’t because Graham Coughlan went off because Kelvin did very well when he came on,” he added.

“It’s never good to have a player out injured but it might give Kelvin his chance.”

Simpson, meanwhile, felt his team were unfortunate not to at least take their Legaue One rivals to extra-time.

“We always knew it was going to be tough because they are a good football side but they also sit in and make it hard to play against them,” added Simpson.

“But we had three or four really good chances and also hit the bar and the post.

“I felt we showed them too much respect for the first 20 minutes or so but then we realised we are a good side and created opportunities.

“I’m not sure it was a free-kick for their goal, which was a bit frustrating, but that’s gone.

“If I’m being honest, there probably weren’t quite as many positives as Saturday.

“But we passed the ball very well at times to get into good areas which was pleasing. There were just times we didn’t produce the right pass or right ball to test their goalkeeper as much as I would have liked.”

By James Garrsion