SWINDON Town have been dealt an injury blow after manager David Flitcroft revealed midfielder Timi Elsnik looks set for a month out.

The 19-year-old Slovenian heads a lengthy injury list at the Energy Check County Ground with Kyle Knoyle, Paul Mullin, Luke Norris, Amine Linganzi, Donal McDermott and Chris Hussey all struggling.

Top-scorer Luke Norris pulled out of the warm-up before Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat to Grimsby Town with an ankle injury, while Elsnik, who is ruled out with a muscular injury, missed out entirely alongside Town’s crocked sextet.

With two games in quick succession, Swindon boss Flitcroft says he is feeling the pinch as the club’s injuries continue to stack up.

The 43-year-old also says he will have a clearer picture of who will be available for Saturday’s home clash with Newport County, once he has run the rule over his squad following their trip to the Mariners.

“We certainly won’t have Timi, he is quite a lengthy one and we aren’t really putting a timescale on it but we certainly won’t have him back in the next month.

“We will get all the detail from Derby County and see what the deal is with that.

“With the change in system it suited Timi more than anyone and he arrives in the box well and there is no doubt he has Championship quality, we’ve seen that.

“It’s going to be a big miss, he is an academy kid from Derby but he’s a powerful boy and he suits this league.

“He can hustle, he can mix it because of his dynamic capabilities, he gets in the last third and when he joins in he scores goals and create goals.

“He’s going to be a loss for sure, but that loss gives someone else the opportunity to step up and that is what we will hopefully do now.”

Linganzi, Mullin and Hussey are all creeping towards full fitness, but the Town boss says he will not take any chances on any of his players by rushing them back into contention.

“It’s a bit difficult because the start of the weeke we’ve had so until I speak to Amine, Chris and Chris Neville we won’t have a clear picture,” he added.

“If you try and rush injuries you can make them worse and end up in a bad cycle and I’m not prepared to do that. “We brought Paul Mullin up to Grimsby and he didn’t make it, he’s got a niggle in his groin area so didn’t have enough time from Saturday’s game to recover.”