BURNLEY defender Gordon Armstrong (pictured) has been ruled out of tomorrow's clash with Colchester United at Layer Road.

And the former Sunderland man is now a major doubt for next weekend's top-of--the-table clash with Preston North End after revealing he could be sidelined for up to a fortnight.

Armstrong strained his calf in Wednesday night's reserve team defeat against Wolves at Turf Moor.

And with full back Tom Cowan out on loan at Cambridge United and central defender Mitchell Thomas facing a one-match suspension, manager Stan Ternent's defensive resources are set to be stretched over the next couple of weeks.

Armstrong's first team opportunities have been restricted anyway following the arrival of Ian Cox in a £500,000 deal from Bournemouth recently.

But his versatility makes him an important squad member. And the player himself is gutted by the timing of the injury as the suspension of Thomas against Preston next weekend would have provided him with the chance to reclaim a regular first team shirt.

"It's very disappointing," said Armstrong. "It happened late on in the game. I turned around to chase a ball and unfortunately I felt my calf go.

"There's not much you can do with it in the first couple of days so I'll just have to rest it and then get treatment as time goes on. "But it's part of a footballers life so I've just got to get on with it.

"Hopefully, I'll be back in a week, or possibly two at the most.

"And I still think I might have an outside chance for the Preston game, so fingers crossed."

Meanwhile, manager Stan Ternent is expecting a difficult test when Burnley's promotion bandwagon rolls into Colchester tomorrow.

An Andy Payton hat-trick earned the Clarets a 3-0 win against the U's earlier in the season.

But Payton serves the second game of a three-match ban tomorrow while United have hauled thmselves away from the foot of the table since that first meeting.

"It's going to be a tough proposition because they've won six out of the last eight and they've beaten some sides at the top of the league," said Ternent.

"So we are expecting a very tough game but we'll be well prepared for it.

"We'll go down there and play in our own way and, if we play as well as we know we can, then I'm hopeful we will get a result."

New signing Ian Wright will go in search of his first goal in a Burnley shirt following his debut against Wigan last week. But Ternent has laughed off suggestions that the former Arsenal man is set for a culture shock at Colchester's humble Layer Road ground.

"Ian will be all right. He'll be fine," said Ternent. "It's part and parcel of playing football at this level going to play at places like this.

"But he is well aware of that and he will be okay."

Glen Little is available again after making a speedy recovery from the shin injury which saw him stretchered off against the Latics last weekend.

Ternent is expected to chose from: Crichton, Cox, Davis, Thomas, Little, Mullin, Cook, Johnrose, Branch, Cooke, Wright, Jepson, Smith, West, Mellon, Brass, Mawson.

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