Harriers boss faces goalkeeping poser

Kidderminster Harriers manager Steve Burr must decide between new signing Ross Atkins and Jasbir Singh to fill the boots left by goalkeeper Dean Coleman at Oxford.

Harriers head to the Kassam Stadium tomorrow in the FA Trophy fifth round with first-choice Coleman out, possibly for the season, with a groin injury that will require surgery.

In response Burr has brought in Atkins on loan for a month from Championship club Derby County, and the England youth international goes straight into the squad.

But the 20-year-old has never made a first-team appearance for his club or during his loan spell at League Two Burton Albion last month, although he did play four games in the Blue Square North for Southport last term, while Coleman's understudy Singh has two full starts under his belt this season.

It leaves the manager with a poser on who to put between the sticks.

He said: "I will have a look at it and make a decision, because it's a big game for Ross to go straight into."

Harriers will also name veteran defender Marcus Bignot in the squad after he re-signed on non-contract forms, as a free agent following his release from Millwall. His return could be timely, with Gavin Caines a slight doubt with an Achilles injury.

The team face an all-Blue Square Premier away tie against a team top of the league, although Harriers have taken four points from two games against the U's this season.

Burr said: "It's the toughest draw we could have had, going away to Oxford, make no mistake about that. That is the hand that the draw has dealt us but we go there with a lot of confidence."

One player not going to Oxford is Harriers winger David McDermott, who has joined Southern Premier side Halesowen on a month's loan to get back up to speed after two months out with illness.