����ý

Newport County striker Seb Palmer-Houlden has been ruled out for three months with a hamstring injury.

Bristol City loanee Palmer-Houlden pulled up during a brief substitute's appearance in Tuesday night's Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out defeat by Brentford.

The 19-year-old has returned to Bristol City for rehabilitation but Newport will retain his registration.

"It is not looking good," said County manager Graham Coughlan.

"It's a bad one we are probably looking at around about three months.

"I am absolutely gutted for the kid given that he had only just come on the pitch and an element of frustration from my own part. But I have to take his emotions into it.

"He is absolutely distraught, I think he had a few tears in his eyes after the game, I think he knew it was a bad one."

Although Palmer-Houlden will continue his recovery at his parent club, he will return to Newport to play again for the League Two side once recovered.

"We had a conversation with Bristol City on this yesterday and I think the matter is in hand, his recovery is underway already," added Coughlan.

"It's a question now of whether he needs surgery or not, hopefully he does not because that adds to recovery time. But at this moment we are looking at the best part of 12 weeks."

Though he has only scored two goals this season, hard running Palmer-Houlden has formed an effective front-line partnership with Welsh striker Will Evans.

Ex-Bala player Evans missed Tuesday's game with Brentford through injury but Coughlan is optimistic the forward, who has netted seven goals in six games, will be fit for Saturday's League Two match against unbeaten AFC Wimbledon, who are level on points with Newport.

Coughlan said: "He [Evans] had a down day yesterday, but hopefully when he walks through the door, he has that bright, beaming smile on his face and he turns around and says 'gaffer I am fit to go', that is my bucket list today.

Also on Coughlan's wish list today was at least one new recruit before the close of the transfer window.