EXPERIENCED centre-back Sam Oji has been ruled out of Worcester City’s double-header against Curzon Ashton with a quad injury.

The 31-year-old defender sustained “a slight tear” in the first half of City’s 3-0 defeat at Salford City last Saturday.

And assistant boss John Snape hopes Oji, who has started the last six games, will be out for “no longer than two weeks”.

The injury blow means he will miss Saturday’s FA Trophy third qualifying round tie (3pm) and Monday’s Vanarama National League North clash (7.45pm), both at the Tameside Stadium.

Despite Oji’s absence, Snape insisted City have got “a lot of options” with centre-back Tom Sharpe expected to start alongside Graham Hutchison.

“Sam won’t be fit for the weekend,” Snape said. “He is under review at the minute but we are hoping it will be no longer than two weeks.

“He has got a slight tear, so he’s in the hands of the physio. We have got an instant replacement in Tom, who came on and did well in the second half at Salford, so there are no worries there.

“Gally (Andy Gallinagh) can come in and play at centre-half, Cieron Keane can play left-back and Tyler Weir can play right-back, so we have got a lot of options in those positions.”

Veteran defender James Chambers “trained on his own” on Thursday as he continues to battle back from a hamstring injury which has kept him out for almost three months.

But Snape said they were hopeful of having the 36-year-old back in action in the “very near future”.

Striker Steven Craig has overcome a groin problem and is set to be involved “in some capacity” over the two games.

With two trips to Greater Manchester in the space of three days, Snape admitted he and manager Carl Heeley were likely to use “the whole squad”.

And Snape said they had put together a “game-plan” to win both fixtures against Curzon, who are three positions below 13th-placed City but on a run of three successive victories.

“It is going to be tough but it will be for Curzon as well,” said Snape with City yet to decide whether to recall keeper Nick Draper from his loan spell at Bedworth United to provide cover for Ethan Ross.

“It’s a good chance for players to play in their favoured position and maybe some in slightly different positions.

“As we are playing Curzon twice, there will be little variance in how we set up in terms of personnel to hopefully get us two wins.

“We want to progress in the Trophy as it’s a chance to get to Wembley and obviously Curzon are below us in the league, so we’ll want to keep it that way on Monday.”

If City draw, the league fixture will be rearranged to allow the replay to be held at the Victoria Ground on Tuesday.

Snape added: “I don’t think it is a great draw for both teams. It’s a bit like the draws we had in the FA Cup but it’s a winnable game.”