CARL Hoefkens is a doubt for tomorrow's home clash with Crystal Palace (ko 7.45pm) as he is struggling to shake off a hamstring injury in time.

The Baggies right-back suffered the problem in last Tuesday's 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday and missed Sunday's 5-1 FA Cup quarter-final win at Bristol Rovers.

If the Belgium international is unable to play, Jared Hodgkiss looks set to deputise after impressing at the Memorial Stadium.

Tony Mowbray said: "Carl is progressing but whether he is progressing quick enough I would have to doubt.

"We'll wait and see.

"Before Sunday, Jared had been out for four or five weeks after a hernia operation and had only played 57 minutes for the reserves four days earlier.

"It was a gamble to put him in but he did exceptionally well and I'm delighted for the boy."

The Baggies boss can also call on Sherjill MacDonald for the Eagles encounter after he returned to The Hawthorns from a successful loan spell at League Two high-fliers Hereford, scoring six times in seven games.

"Sherjill is back training with us," Mowbray added.

"Lots of clubs are interested in taking Sherjill on loan.

"We'll assess the situation with our squad and readdress before the loan window closes whether we're going to send him out again or keep him on board.

"He's probably pleased that people have been asking about him but he's got to get back training with our squad and compete to try and get into our team.

"I will assess in training whether he's got a chance of doing that.

"As I've said all along, he's got unbelievable talent and ability.

"He's just got to be able to put it into the context of a game.

"He obviously did that in the first month at Hereford when he scored bags of goals.

"But, with total respect to Hereford, the Championship is a different league to the one he was playing his football in."

Meanwhile, Craig Beattie will be staying at Deepdale to receive treatment on the hamstring injury he sustained in his first game on loan at Preston.

"At the moment Craig's still at Preston," said Mowbray.

"First reports are that it was only a grade one injury so he should only be out for two to three weeks, which is why he's staying there to get his treatment and trying to get himself fit for their run-in.

"We'll wait and see.

"They've got to assess it and we'll have discussions with them if it does turn out to be worse than they think." 

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