RETURNING prodigal son Ian Foster has backed boss Jan Molby to keep Kidderminster Harriers alive and kicking in the Nationwide Third Division.

The 27-year-old striker was a shock inclusion in the team held to a goalless draw by rivals Cheltenham Town at Aggborough on Tuesday night after being re-signed on an initial one-month loan deal - just 24 hours before kick off.

After scoring 30 goals in 94 appearances during three seasons with Harriers, Foster was sent to Conference leaders Chester City during the summer.

But now he's back in town and desperate to fire the goals that will help secure Harriers' Football League status under the guidance of mentor Molby.

"When I got the call from Jan (Molby), I thought that he was just going to have a go at me for not inviting him to my engagement party last Saturday!" joked Foster. "But when he told me he wanted back at Kidderminster I was doing cartwheels."

Harriers' blank with Cheltenham meant a run of six league games without a victory and did nothing to ease relegation fears but Foster believes that Director of Football Molby will steer the club to survival.

"I was just pleased that Jan is here because he's the right man for the job and I'm sure that he'll turn things around," promised Foster who struggled to secure a regular first-team spot at the Deva Stadium.

"I don't actually know how long I'll be here because everything has been rushed through but hopefully it will to the end of the season and beyond. If it were up to me, though, I'd be here for the next 10 years!"

Foster wasn't the only surprise new arrival to Aggborough on Tuesday night with midfielder Dean Keates again linking up with Molby on a one-year deal.

Molby had taken Keates from his native Walsall to Hull City in August 2002 and swooped for him again just hours before making his impressive Harriers debut against Cheltenham. He will be seen as a replacement for the released Sam Shilton as Molby tempts to bring in personnel who can fit into his preferred attacking 4-3-3 formation.

Hull boss Peter Taylor was believed to be on the verge of offering Keates a new one-year deal at the end of the season - despite the player failing to regain his place in the table-topping Tigers' side after suffering a ligament injury before Christmas.

But Keates claimed: "I've been in and out and felt that I've done enough to keep my shirt but Peter Taylor had other ideas and wanted to stick to the players he'd brought in and trusted."

He added: "I had a couple of irons in the fire but this is one that most appealed to me. With my roots in the Midlands, it brings me back home."

And he smiled: "If all the players who pull the shirt on do their best, I'm sure that everything will come right."

Grabbing an uninspiring point against rivals Cheltenham, saw Harriers move up a place to 20th.

But Molby was far from happy with his side's performances and plight heading into a real six-pointer at Southend this Saturday.

Worst still, influential skipper Wayne Hatswell will be missing as he serves a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card at Oxford.

It means that either Danny Williams, Matt Gadsby or even Abdou Sall will slot into the centre-back slot as the latter is again training with the club in a bid to prove his fitness.

Molby said: "Southend are going to be well fired up for this one "They'll see it as an opportunity to go level on points with us.

"We know what to expect. It's going to be tricky there because there a big side and they're going to put some pressure on us."