SHABIR Khan faces missing most of the rest of Worcester City’s season unless he has surgery on a hernia problem.

The central defender has been one of the team’s star performers this term but he has only started 12 matches because of the injury.

He has sat out the last four games, won’t be involved against Solihull Moors at Aggborough tonight (7.45) and now looks set to go under the knife in order to get back to full fitness.

Manager Carl Heeley said: “Shab’s not available at the moment. As often happens with a hernia, it doesn’t get any better, the soreness gets worse and it takes longer for it to settle down.

“He’s going through that period now so unless he has an operation he’s going to struggle to play a sustained part in the rest of our campaign.”

Khan’s absence has further stretched a squad during a busy fixture schedule that is currently seeing the team play twice a week.

Heeley, who has also let centre-half Sam Smith go to Rushall Olympic to recover from a knee injury, is working to address the situation but tonight’s Skrill North match, rearranged from New Year’s Day, might come too soon.

The City boss said: “We’ve got a few irons in the fire and we would like to, in an ideal world, bring one or two in because we’ve got 16 fit players.

“We are a little bit light on numbers so if we could get one or two in it would be a welcome boost.

“Aaron Williams was ill all day Friday but he said he felt ok so he started against Vauxhall Motors but he wasn’t feeling great at the end.

“It’s been a tough schedule with the games coming thick and fast so we’ll have to have a look for tonight and see if there’s any way we can freshen it up.”

The sides last met on Boxing Day with Ethan Moore grabbing a last-minute equaliser to knock the high-flying Moors out of their stride.

But Marcus Bignot’s men have dropped to seventh in the table having won just one of six games since that draw and losing their last three, most latterly 3-2 at home to Hednesford Town at the weekend.

Heeley added: “I felt a draw was the least we deserved there, it was a good point and they’re a good side.

“It was a local derby and we certainly didn’t disgrace ourselves there and they know coming to us is going to be a tough game.”