KIDDERMINSTER Har-riers will be without their major presence in the centre of the park for their Boxing Day showdown with second-placed Swansea City.

Captain Wayne Hatswell serves the first of the hefty four-match ban he has been hit with following his sending off in the 2-0 defeat at Cheltenham.

New defensive partner Simon Weaver will join him on the sidelines after adding to his four Lincoln bookings with his first for Harriers on Saturday.

Central midfield Dean Keates will also be sat in the stands serving a one-match ban after totting up five yellow cards.

And his engine room colleague Tom Bennett is a major doubt after receiving treatment on a niggly thigh injury.

To make matters worse for boss Stuart Watkiss, defensive understudy Chris McHale is also struggling with a back problem, while winger Pedros Matias has a calf strain.

Abdou Sall is set to come back in from the cold to partner a patched up McHale in central defensive against the Swans in-form frontman Lee Trundle who hit a hat-trick in the 4-0 thumping of Notts County on Saturday.

Watkiss's attempts to bring in reinforcements have been hampered by the fact Harriers have already used up all of their short term loans.

"At the moment I can't even name a squad of 16 and at this rate I could be struggling to name 11," he said.

"Boxing Day against second in the league we are going to be stretched to the limit in terms of personnel.

"Unfortunately with the likes of Hatswell and Keates out we've got no major presence in the centre of the park.

"There may be players playing in slightly unaccustomed roles but all we can do is to try our best.

"I think there has been an improvement in the way we have been playing and I hope the fans see it to and stick with us."

Watkiss has ruled out an appeal against Hatswell's straight red card at Whaddon Road - his second of the season following his dismissal at Chester.

But the Aggborough boss will be in contact with league officials amid allegations that match referee Darren Drysdale swore at Dean Keates and Chris Beardsley during the subsequent melee.

As well as Sunday's game against Swansea, Hatswell will miss Tuesday's trip to Oxford, the visit to Leyton Orient on New Year's Day and the home clash with Southend on Monday January 3.

Meanwhile, Watkiss will give his players Christmas Day off but expects them to look after themselves over the festive period.

"You have to trust the lads 52 weeks of the year and not just at Christmas and if they wanted a beer they could do it in February or September not just Christmas," he said.

"At the end of the day they are professional people and they know that they have to look after themselves away from the ground."

Supporters are reminded that the Boxing Day fixture with Swansea kicks off at 2pm, with Tuesday's clash at Oxford starting at 3pm.