Blackpool boss Neil Critchley provides an update on the seriousness of Jordan Gabriel's hamstring injury

The defender was forced to hobble off the pitch after 36 minutes during Blackpool’s Good Friday defeat against West Brom.

Gabriel’s setback will have been a tough one to take given he’s only just returned from a six-week lay-off with another hamstring injury.

With Dujon Sterling also out with ankle ligament damage, it leaves the Seasiders without a natural right-back - although Callum Connolly slotted in there well for Easter Monday’s rout of Birmingham City.

Providing an update on Gabriel, Critchley revealed the injury isn’t believed to be “too serious”.

“He’s got a hamstring strain. He’ll go for a scan,” he told The Gazette.

“With it happening on Good Friday and on a Bank Holiday, it makes it quite difficult to get him seen. But we’re hopeful it’s nothing too serious.

“I wouldn’t put a timeframe on it because he’s not had the scan yet, but it’s not too serious but I wouldn’t say it’s going to be a short one either.”

Thankfully Gabriel's presence wasn’t missed too much on Monday as the Seasiders thrashed Birmingham 6-1 at Bloomfield Road.

Jake Beesley had a first start to remember, bagging a brace, while CJ Hamilton, Kenny Dougall, Jerry Yates also got in on the act, as did Gabriel’s replacement Connolly.

The versatile performer curled home an impressive 30-yard free-kick deep into stoppage-time to add further gloss to an emphatic victory.

Blackpool were comfortable defensively for most of the afternoon and were rarely threatened.

“When you’re playing against Lyle Taylor, Troy Deeney and they bring on Scott Hogan as well, they’ve got good players,” Critchley added.

“I have to say I thought their players kept going. At 3-0 down, they kept going right until the end.

“But it’s just that we were clinical. They had some half chances around the goal, Deeney had a header and it was a great save, but generally other than that…

“The goal was a disappointing one to concede, but the line and our defensive organisation was very good.”