ACCRINGTON Stanley are in the grip of a defensive crisis ahead of tomorrow's home match with York City.

Torn ankle ligaments will deprive Accrington of Robbie Williams for the Crown Ground clash and he will join captain Peter Kavanagh and fellow first-choice defender Andy Tretton on the sidelines.

Goalkeeper Danny Alcock also has a broken arm, meaning 18-year-old Darren Randolph, who is on loan from Charlton and represents Eire's Under-19 team, will retain his place between the Stanley sticks after a blunder by veteran former Welsh international Andy Dibble handed Conference North strugglers Worcester City a shock 3-2 FA Cup fourth qualifying round victory on Monday night.

While boasting a potent front two in the form of seven-goal leading marksman David Brown and last season's top scorer Paul Mullin, the mounting injury problems are beginning to take their toll on fourth-placed Accrington, who have won just one of their last seven games.

Stanley have also conceded more goals - 21 - than any other side in the top 13 of the Conference table.

Former Stockport County centre-back Mike Flynn, 36, could be drafted back in the side after the cup exit, while on-loan Wigan Athletic defender Phil Edwards is on stand-by to make his league debut after being denied permission by the Premiership club to face Worcester.

Another temporary signing from Wigan - midfielder Kevin Lee - is also pressing for a starting place, along with Benin international Rommy Boco.

Flynn's absence from recent games has puzzled both the player and the club's fans as it has coincided with a recent slump in form and the period when John Coleman's defensive options became increasingly limited.

After being left out of the starting line-up for Monday's defeat to Worcester, Flynn said: "I was baffled as I played most of the early games when we moved up to second place in the league and the only game I didn't play in was Cambridge when we lost.

"Then I didn't play against Stevenage and we lost again but it is the manager's choice and he will live and die by his decisions."

Coleman, 43, named himself as a substitute against Worcester but only as a ploy to try to relay instructions to his team by running out of his technical area to warm up.

Updated: 09:13 Friday, October 28, 2005