IN-FORM striker Ryan Bowman has been ruled out of Hereford United’s trip to Wrexham tomorrow (1pm) because of an ankle injury.

The Bulls make the journey to north Wales bidding to cap a fine week that saw them defeat Shrewsbury 3-1 in the FA Cup and Blue Square Bet Premier high-fliers Luton 1-0.

However, they will have to tackle the Dragons, another of the league promotion favourites, without their leading marksman.

Bowman netted a brace against the Shrews to be nominated for the Budweiser FA Cup player-of-the-round award.

But the 20-year-old was withdrawn at half-time during Tuesday’s victory over Luton at Edgar Street and his absence leaves Hereford with just on-loan strikers Phil Marsh and Kyle Perry for the Racecourse Ground clash.

Manager Martin Foyle said: “Ryan won’t be fit so we will have to get on with it. He’s done very well but it just leaves me with two loan strikers, I don’t have any of my own.

“It’s the toughest test at the end of a long week. It’s harder because we are going on to their territory. They are a strong side who will be in the top-two at the end of the season.”

Foyle was delighted to follow up the cup triumph with the scalp of third-placed Luton but insists his side need to be more ruthless if they are to make it three wins in a row.

He added: “It was a fantastic result. Defensively, we worked on our shape and they struggled to break us down.

“But we have to improve offensively.

“I thought our forward play was poor and we could have put better balls into the front men and wide players but to get a win after the Shrewsbury game was fantastic for us.”

To vote for Bowman as player of the round, visit the FA website before Monday, November 19.

He is up against four other players — Harrogate Town’s Chib Chilaka, Tony Diagne of Macclesfield Town and Chelmsford City’s Donovan Simmonds — and the winner will be a guest at next May’s final at Wembley.