DEFENSIVE midfielder O’Neil Thompson has been ruled out of Hereford United’s npower League Two trip to Chesterfield tomorrow (3pm) with a groin strain.

Bulls boss Simon Davey is now hoping to have the Jamaican, who is also struggling with a cut foot, fit in time for the following Saturday’s home match with Rotherham.

The former Barnsley manager, who has no other injury concerns, said: “We tried to nurse O’Neil through training this week to get him ready for the Chesterfield game but it backfired a bit and he won’t make it now.

“He needs seven to 10 days of intensive treatment on the injury but hopefully he will be back for the Rotherham game.”

Davey is expecting a tough clash with the Spireites, a side who have been tipped to do well this season, but is backing his players to build on their encouraging start to the campaign.

After an opening-day win over Crewe and a home draw against promotion favourites Gillingham, United will be looking to make a good impression in Chesterfield’s new all-seater stadium.

Davey added: “Chesterfield have a new stadium and that will have given them fresh impetus — it will give them and their fans a lift.

“However, I am confident we can go there and get a result. People said we had four tough games to start the season and that we might not get any points but we’ve managed four from two games already.”

The two danger men for Chesterfield are last season’s top-scorer Jack Lester and midfielder Dwayne Mattis, who has three goals from as many games.

Bulls fans will know all about Lester — he scored a brace against the Bulls as they crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Saltergate in 2008.

Former Walsall player Mattis is lesser-known, having faced the Bulls on just two previous occasions.

Both games ended in draws but his impressive scoring record so far this term is likely to give United something to think about.