HUDDERSFIELD Town have suffered a significant injury blow with senior defender Murray Wallace out for ‘about eight weeks’ after picking up a knee injury in Saturday’s Yorkshire derby with Sheffield Wednesday.
The 2-2 draw saw another hugely influential figure from this season come off in the final quarter with an injury issue in Radinio Balker.
The prognosis regarding the Dutch centre-half is not as bad, but he will be out for ‘two to weeks’ after tweaking a hamstring, according to Drury.
A better development arrives with the news that Derensili Sanches Fernandes – the third Town player to exit the fray with an injury late on against the Owls – should be available for this weekend’s trip to League One leaders Plymouth Argyle.
The flying winger jarred his knee versus Wednesday.
Drury, who is still without captain Ryan Ledson and fellow midfielder David Kasumu – who should be back in contention on Saturday week versus Wigan Athletic, said: “Murray will be out for about eight weeks.
"Radinio Balker will be three weeks; two to three weeks.
"So, yes, we're in a bit of a situation with injuries at the minute.
"We've got seven players out now, so what that does is provide an opportunity for the players to come in.
"But, of course, you go to Plymouth, who are statistically one of the most direct teams in the league, and you lose to your best aerial defenders. It's obviously frustrating.
"At the same time, we've got other players that can do that.
"But it’s disappointing we'll lose more players. Murray felt his knee when blocking a shot, so he opens up his ligament in his knee and Radinio just had a little bit of tightness in his hamstring.
"So, yes, it’s frustrating and disappointing, but at the same time, we move on, we find solutions.
Marcus McGuane is on the long-term injured list with Jack Whatmough also sidelined with a ongoing calf problem."
On Fernandes, Drury added: "He's got an ongoing issue with his knee that he's had for a while and that flares up (sometimes).
"It's nothing too concerning, but we are led a little bit by him himself.
"So, in the game on Saturday, he signalled to us that he needed to come off, which is a shame because up until that point, he'd been exceptional yet again. But I'm sure he'll be fine for the weekend.”