SOUTHEND United midfielder Ryan Leonard has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a hamstring injury.

Leonard limped off during the first half of Tuesday night’s 1-0 win at Cheltenham Town.

And he will now be missing when Blues’ head to York City this weekend, much to the disappointment of manager Phil Brown.

“Unfortunately Ryan has suffered a grade one tear in his hamstring and he’s going to be out for between two and three weeks,” said Brown.

“There’s about four or five inches of tightness in there which causes some discomfort and needs working on.

“It’s not as bad as it could be and I think there must have been something going on in his mind for it to happen.

“But he came back strongly from a hamstring injury last season and hopefully he will be able to do the same this year too.”

Leonard is expected to be replaced in the starting line-up by Connor Clifford at York after the Irishman came off the bench to score the winner at Cheltenham.

Blues also head in to the game looking for a third successive win.

And Brown is desperate to continue the run of good results against a York side who have drawn six of their 10 games so far this season.

“York have a very good manager in Nigel Worthington and although they haven’t been losing many games they haven’t been winning many either and we need to try and exploit that,” said the Shrimpers chief.

“We’re going up on the train tomorrow which means we will have an extra day on the training ground.

“Hopefully it will make us fresher as well because we need to make sure we have enough energy in the team to be able to cause them problems.”

Brown hopes to have striker Barry Corr available again after he missed Tuesday’s win at Cheltenham with a neck problem while centre-back Cian Bolger could also be back in contention.

The defender’s only appearance on loan came at York last season but he looks unlikely to be selected ahead of the in-form Adam Thompson and Luke Prosser this time around.

Southend head in to the game sitting seventh in the table, ahead of York in 16th.