Harriers set to lose injured Coleman

Kidderminster Harriers today began their search for a new goalkeeper after facing up to the news that Dean Coleman could be out for the season with a groin injury.

Coleman needs surgery after playing through the pain for a number of weeks, and winning back his place from Jasbir Singh for the last two games. There is no official time-frame on his absence, but sources indicate it will some months before his return.

It's a massive blow for the 24-year-old, who for the most part had made the No 1 spot his own in 31 appearances between the sticks after signing a new one-year contract last summer.

The former Walsall youngster had looked upon this campaign as his big chance with former first-choice Adam Bartlett moved on to Hereford at the end of the 2008/09 season, after warming the bench for the whole year the England C international was at the club.

Harriers can now only call upon Singh, who has only made two appearances in league and cup, as a senior goalkeeper in the squad.

But manager Steve Burr has set the wheels in motion to bring in a replacement, most possibly on loan, and is hoping to have the new signing in place by Thursday latest, with an FA Trophy tie at Oxford United in wait on Saturday.

And the Aggborough chief concedes that Coleman's pain was just too much for him to carry on.

Burr said: "It's a big blow for us because Dean's come back into the side and we've been picking up some good results, but understandably we're at a point now where if the lad is in too much pain then we can't be expecting him to play."