Town boss Kieran McKenna says keeper Christian Walton is facing “quite a number of weeks” on the sidelines having suffered a groin strain at Liverpool last week.
Walton, 29, had been in the side for the previous five games having taken over from Aro Muric for the 2-0 home victory over Chelsea just after Christmas.
"He strained his groin in the Liverpool game,” McKenna said after the 2-1 home defeat to Southampton. "It’s not a minor strain, it’s a fairly significant strain, so he’s going to be out for quite a number of weeks.”
Quizzed on the two goals conceded by the returning Muric with fans having been critical of the Kosovan international’s role on both, McKenna said: "I haven’t watched them back, so it’s not fair to probably judge yet because you’re quite a long way from it in the game.
"I think the starting point as a team will always be what we can do better in the situation. The first goal’s a goal-kick, the second goal is a situation where we were breaking away but we’ve got loads of bodies behind the ball.
"The starting point will always be that we’ll own it as a team but obviously at times we need to step up and make blocks and make saves as well.”
Third-choice keeper Cieran Slicker seems likely to start next Saturday’s fourth round FA Cup tie at Coventry City.