Beardsley may stay with Harriers

Kidderminster manager Mark Yates has not ruled out keeping new loan striker Chris Beardsley at Aggborough for longer than a month - if he impresses.

The 24-year-old returned to Aggborough on loan deadline day, for a month from Blue Square Premier rivals Kettering, as cover for injured top scorer Justin Richards.

It came to light at the back of last week that Richards was facing a month out with an eye injury, forcing Yates to bring another striker in.

Beardsley has history with the club, even playing for them in the Football League, with the nomadic striker going on to play for another four clubs since.

Yates is keeping an open mind on whether Beardsley will stay at the club.

He said: "Chris is with us for a month, I know what he can do and we will see after that. At this moment in time, he is here because we are likely to be without Justin for a month.

"If something happened to Matthew Barnes-Homer, Darryl Knights or Stefan Moore, we would be really short on numbers. It is up to Chris to play his way in now.

"I am keeping an open mind on his future. It depends on whether it would be right for the club."

Harriers should have more to work with after progression into the FA Cup third round, a £30,000 pay day with another potential earner in a trip to Championship side Coventry up next.

Yates added: "That money is very welcome into the football club but it doesn;t really govern how we go for players. The chairman has backed me in most of what I have wanted to do.

"The money will make some difference and take some of the pressure off the club though, granted."