AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley is desperately searching for an answer to his centre-back crisis.

Following Ryan Sweeney’s red card in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Morecambe, Ardley has been left without a recognised centre-back to play alongside Paul Robinson – an ever-present in League Two action this season.

Sweeney misses this weekend’s visit of York City, and following injuries to Will Nightingale and Karleigh Osborne, Ardley needs to bring in someone to plug the gap.

Ardley said: “How we deal with the issue is the million dollar question. We are working very hard to have an answer before the weekend.

“I never pre-empt things, if we can do what we’re trying to do, we’ll have a body in the next few days to solve that problem, but it is never as easy as that.”

One man Ardley has recruited is Oldham Athletic striker Rhys Murphy on loan until the end of the season, while Christian Toonga has left the Dons by mutual consent.

The Dons host struggling York City this weekend, and aside from the suspended Adebayo Akinfenwa and Sweeney, Ardley is hoping to have a full fit squad to choose from.