Micky Thompson is sick as a dog after seeing his cup dream sink down a rabbit hole.

The firefighter and Avenue centre-back has ruled himself out of tomorrow's UniBond League Cup final against Accrington Stanley in bizarre fashion.

He was out walking his golden retriever Polo in fields near his home on Saturday morning when he put his foot in a rabbit hole.

Thompson damaged his left ankle and could be out for three weeks.

The influential defender hasn't had a day off sick for six years but the freak injury has left him off-work and out of the starting line-up.

And Thompson, who has missed a handful of games this season due to shift work with the West Yorkshire fire service, is furious at the nature of his injury.

Now Avenue are all but safe, the missed league games are less important, but Thompson could be out of both legs of the cup final.

"I am absolutely gutted," said the towering centre-back.

"It is such a stupid way to pick up an injury and it is terrible timing for me.

"I can't believe I am missing out on the cup final in this way. In a disappointing season for us, this is a huge game and our only chance of silverware.

"I would love to playing but instead am going to have to sit it out."

Thompson was stuck limping around pitchside in his tracksuit as his team-mates completed a three-match winning streak with victory over Barrow.

"It has been tough recently for us," he added.

"We went on a terrible run and there was a bit of talk about relegation but we have played our way out."With the cup final round the corner it is the perfect time to be on a winning roll and we hope to get a little revenge on Stanley over the two games."

With Thompson out injured, and the recent departures of Kieron O'Brien and Lee Potter, Avenue are running a little short of players.

Influential winger Dean Calcutt is suspended limiting manager Trevor Storton's options of the first leg final. Ian Briggs, on-loan at Thackley, could make a surprise return to the squad, filling the third spot on a empty-looking bench.

New signings Dean Martin and Joel Armstrong miss out due to the cup rules which will mean a recall for calamity keeper Rob Montgomery, dropped after a howler against Hucknall. "Losing Thompson is a blow," said Storton.

"It is a strange injury but that is how things can go in football. We will also miss Dean (Calcutt) through suspension, which is a real blow.

"But we hope to have them both back for the second leg."