WORCESTER City midfielder Andy Ellis could miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg.

Ellis suffered a clean break of his tibia late in yesterday's 4-2 defeat at Tamworth.

It is a major blow to City, with the 33-year-old former Woking player having been one of the key figures in their six-match winning streak, which ended at Tamworth.

City, who led 2-1 with ten minutes to go, are now just one place outside the relegation zone.

Manager John Barton said today: "It will be a minimum of six weeks and a maximum of 10 in plaster, although the specialist did say that if there can be a good thing about it, it was a clean break.

"He has been a key figure for us ever since the Hayes game. To have lost him to a run-of-the-mill injury would have been bad enough, but to have lost him to a long-term one that virtually wipes his season out is a severe blow to us."

Barton, who slammed the tackle by Tamworth midfielder Michael Gray as "disgraceful," said that Ellis had earlier warned referee Stephen Bratt that things were getting out of hand.

"He was just concerned that one of the individuals on their side had completely lost his head and that something may happen, and he wasn't wrong."

Ellis' injury further restricts Barton's chances of bringing in fresh faces, although Paul Carty has returned to the club after Nuneaton Borough decided not to sign him following a month's loan.

Transfer-listed defender Dave Rich-ards, however, is poised to complete a move to Blakenall this week.

City's youth game at home to Stratford tonight has been postponed.