FC UNITED have suffered a blow to their play-off hopes with key defender Danny Warrender out of Wednesday's Gigg Lane clash with Ossett Town (7.45).

The right back twisted an ankle while running in Heaton Park, but may be available for Saturday’s home game with North Ferriby United.

Adam Carden is expected to step in for Warrender, but manager Karl Marginson will otherwise name an unchanged team after a run of four wins and a draw have sent the Rebels surging towards the play-offs.

A win would put FC into the vital top five places, and with four of the last five games at home, Marginson says his team is hitting top form at just the right time.

“There’s a buzz about the dressing room better than anything since the club started,” he says.

“And we had captain Dave Chadwick on the bench when we won at Marine on Saturday, while players as good as Jamie Baguley, Dave Neville and Papis Dieyte didn’t even make it onto the bench. It’s a good indicator of strength in depth.”