United keeper Lenny Pidgeley has been ruled out of today's game against Swindon Town following a hand injury picked up during the Friday afternoon training session at Cheltenham.

Pidgeley, 26, had x-rays at Swindon Hospital on Friday night that confirmed that the fourth metacarpal in his right hand had been broken during an innocuous training ground challenge with Richard Keogh.

The big stopper has kept six clean sheets in his 22 appearances for the Cumbrians this season and was due to be on the bench for the visit to the County Ground.

Second-year Youth keeper Mark Gillespie will now join the squad ahead of kick off this afternoon.

Club physio Dolly said: "Lenny banged his hand against Keogh's elbow when he went to gather a ball and he felt that something wasn't right.

"There was some immediate pain and swelling and the x-ray confirmed that the bone had been broken. An injury like this can take anywhere from four to six weeks to heal, but we'll get him in with our surgeon this week and get a further assessment done. We'll know more about the injury after that."