Stanley are hoping the injury sustained by striker Colby Bishop isn’t as bad as first feared as John Coleman assesses his options ahead of this weekend’s visit of Blackpool.

Bishop was forced off with an ankle injury late on in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Wycombe and the 22-year-old underwent a scan on Thursday.

The summer signing has adapted to life in League One well, and has four goals in his 10 outings since a summer move from non-league side Leamington.

Coleman is already without Swansea loanee Courtney Baker-Richardson who faces another five weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury.

Offrande Zanzala (hamstring) is another injury concern, yet to feature this season, with Stanley having brought in Connor Simpson, who replaced Bishop on Tuesday, on loan from Preston.

Dion Charles, a scorer against Wycombe, has partnered Bishop in the last five league games, but Coleman may well have to shuffle his pack when Simon Grayson’s side arrive at the Wham Stadium.

“He’s had a scan but we don’t think it is as bad as we thought,” Coleman told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“His ankle was really bad swollen but has gone down now so we’re hoping it’s not too serious.

“As a manager you have to find a way and a team that will be capable of challenging. That is the challenge.”

Charles has three goals in his seven League One games after joining from Southport.

And Coleman has been pleased with the contributions of his new strikers in the early weeks of the season.

He added: “They have taken to it like a duck to water I think, and they will only get better.

“Dion does some unbelievable, but does some unbelievably silly things, but he’s young and he’s learning.

“He’s got an enthusiasm that is hard not to like.

“I think he will only get better.

“Colby is starting to understand the demands of full-time football, he had a spell at Notts County earlier in his career, but he will only get fitter and sharper.”

Stanley were pegged back by Wycombe in midweek after a contentious penalty conceded by captain Seamus Conneely gave the hosts the chance to earn a 1-1 draw.

The Reds have led in each of their last five games, beating MK Dons in the league and Fleetwood in the Leasing.com Trophy, but have taken two points from their next three matches against Bristol Rovers, Sunderland and Wycombe.

Asked if he sees that as a positive, Coleman said: “I think so.

“We’re scoring goals and we’re looking like we’re going to score goals.

“If you look at the stats in League One this season, we’ve made the third most chances.

“If we continue in that vain, and put them away, we should be able to climb the table.”