KIDDERMINSTER Harriers were left kicking their heels today when their scheduled home Nationwide League Division Three clash with Luton Town was postponed because The Hatters are ravaged by flu and injuries.

Luton will now have to appear before a disciplinary panel to provide evidence to support their claim that they could not field a team.

The Hatters' boss Joe Kinnear asked for an independent doctor to look at his players yesterday afternoon and the medic agreed that the game should be postponed, saying that the Kenilworth Road club did not have 11 able-bodied men.

The club doctor had diagnosed nine players with flu adding to the 15 already on the injury list.

The only campaigners available to Luton were Matthew Taylor, Ahmed Brkovic, Matthew Spring, Steve Howard and Adrian Forbes, who is suspended and would not have featured today.

Kinnear said: "I'm gutted. I'm bitterly disappointed, but on medical advice I'm closing down the playing side of the club until Monday."

Harriers assistant boss Gary Barnett said: "It's the last thing we wanted. We are on a good run and we wanted to keep it going.

"We've now got to try to be positive and use the break to our advantage, to use it as a recuperation period so we can come back with all cyclinders firing at Exeter on December 17."

Aggborough media manager Steve Thomas said: "The decision was taken against our will and the matter is now in the hands of the Football League. We can only apologise to our supporters but every effort was made to ensure the game went ahead."

Football League Head of Communications John Nagle said: "Failure to fulfil a fixture is a very serious matter and could lead to a fine or deduction of points. However, Luton Town will be given the opportunity to provide evidence to support their decision not to play."

A new date for the game has not yet been arranged.