LOAN full-back Ritchie Sutton's Barrow AFC spell has been ended by injury.

A slight hamstring tear picked up in the midweek defeat at Eastleigh has ended the Tranmere Rovers man's season.

Sutton had started every game for the Bluebirds since joining until the end of the season in March, making 10 appearances and providing a solid presence at right-back.

He hurt his ankle in the 1-1 draw against Macclesfield last weekend, but recovered to start at Eastleigh, only to pull up early in the second half with a new problem.

Manager Paul Cox was sad to see the end of Sutton's AFC spell, and said: “Ritchie Sutton is out for the season now. It's a slight tear on his hamstring and it's going to take two or three weeks to heal.

“We had the bad news this morning. It's a horrible loss to us, but if you could say anything its that if he was going to get injured it has come at the right time in a sense. We've only got three games to go and the season is coming to a close.

“The one thing you would say about Sutts is that he has been what I knew he would be – he has been Mr Consistent for us. He has been an excellent addition to the squad.”

He added: “There is no link between the two injuries – it's just coincidental. He had hurt his ankle last weekend and he had put his body on the line, travelled down with us to Eastleigh and wanted to give it a really good go.

“He passed a fitness test, but unfortunately a couple of minutes into the second half he hurt his hamstring. There was no relation between the injuries.”

Cox is hopeful Steve Williams will be fit to feature at Kidderminster on Saturday as he continues to recover from an Achilles problem.

The manager said: “We're keeping our fingers crossed with Steve. He is another one who has been brilliant – he really wanted to give it a go on Tuesday night with his Achilles, but he wasn't 100 per cent and we weren't going to risk him.

“Fingers crossed, we might have a better chance of him being fit for Saturday.”