Man of the moment Matt Clarke has given Bradford City a major injury scare before tonight's Worthington Cup clash at Newcastle.

City's goalkeeper, whose outstanding displays have sparked a campaign for an England call, is struggling with knee and groin problems.

Benito Carbone also picked up a knock on his ankle in Sunday's derby with Leeds but is more optimistic of playing in the third-round cup tie at St James' Park.

But Clarke missed training yesterday for extra treatment from physio Steve Redmond and faces a race to be fit.

Boss Chris Hutchings admitted: "We'll have to wait to see how he comes through and what work he can do before making a decision.

"He got a bang on the knee in the Leeds game and then woke up yesterday morning with a very sore groin.

"Losing Matt would be a big blow but hopefully he will be all right. We need all the bodies we can get having lost quite a lot of experienced players.

"And he has been in fantastic form for us. A lot of people have been talking about recognition and if he keeps performing as he has been, he should be in with a shout of something.

"Against Leeds he pulled off some great saves, you expect him to make them and he doesn't let you down. Matt's just performing to the ability that we know he has and if he continues in that vein it's just up to other people to recognise that."

If Clarke fails to recover, Northern Ireland stopper Aidan Davison will come in for only his second game of the season.

Dean Windass is back from a one-match ban but David Hopkin's recovery from his ankle injury has been slower than expected. Andy Myers, Andy O'Brien and Gunnar Halle are still out long term and Wayne Jacobs goes into hospital tomorrow for a double hernia operation.

Hutchings, who has added youngsters Scott Kerr and Mark Bower to City's depleted squad, said: "We are having to take all our fit pros because we're down to the bare bones.

"With all the long-term injuries, this is testing us to the limit but we've just got to get on with it and prepare for the game at Newcastle.

"The boys gave us everything against Leeds and now the challenge is to go out and do that on a consistent basis. This is the next opportunity and we've got to perform as well if not better than we did on Sunday.

"The cup is different, you always get some unexpected results and we're going there in a positive frame of mind.

"We always take the cup competitions very seriously and having done well in the Intertoto before the start of the season it would be nice to get another good result in a very big cup game tonight."