Kabba body blow

Steven Kabba, injury blow for Athletic

ATHLETIC have been dealt a massive injury blow with striker Steven Kabba likely to missing for up to a month.

The loss of Kabba, who strained a hamstring in training on Friday, came less than 24 hours after Lee Hughes was allowed to join Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the season.

And it leaves Athletic with a worrying lack of firepower for the final run in, although the prospect of a play-off place all but disappeared after Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient.

Kabba pulled up in training after landing awkwardly after challenging for a high ball. Initially, it was not thought to be serious and he travelled to London, where he expected to feature.

But when Kabba woke on Saturday morning, his hamstring had tightened and there was no way he could play.

Kabba is likely to be out for between three and four weeks according to club sources.

Athletic, who played Lewis Alessandra and Deane Smalley as the front pairing on Saturday, have little back up as Chris O’Grady is on loan at Stockport County for the remainder of the season.

In the event of anything happening to Alessandra or Smalley, Athletic could play Chris Taylor or Andy Liddell, both normally wide players, down the middle.

Athletic now find themselves in ninth place, eight points adrift of the play-off places and having played one more game than the third, fourth, fifth and sixth-placed teams.

Manager Joe Royle is likely to use the last six games of the season with an eye to the future.

He intends to give young players like Kieran Lee and Paul Black a run in the team as he wants to assess his fringe players.