KIDDERMINSTER Harriers have signed defender James Pearson ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup trip into the unknown at Deeping Rangers (12.30pm).

The second qualifying round tie in Lincolnshire is being streamed live on the BBC Sport website.

Former Leicester City centre-half or right-back Pearson, 24, joins as a free agent until the end of the season having left League Two side Coventry City last month.

The Sheffield-born player, the son of former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, failed to break into the Coventry side but has previously played for Barnet in the Football League after loan spells at Carlisle United and Wrexham.

Harriers’ new signing said: “I’m looking forward to it and it will be good to get playing again.

“The FA Cup is always something good to be a part of and we’re looking forward to going up there and hopefully coming away with a win to get into the next round.

“Everyone looks forward to the cup. It’s a great competition.”

Harriers will hope forward Joe Ironside figures at the United Counties League Premier Division minnows after a stop-start season so far due to niggling injuries.

Last season’s signing from Nuneaton Town scored his fourth goal of the campaign late in Harriers’ 2-1 National League North defeat at Tamworth in midweek as the visitors failed to build on a 3-0 weekend win at Southport.

Kidderminster manager John Eustace said: “It’s been a really frustrating time for Joe with his injuries and he hasn’t been 100 per cent fit.

“We left him out on Saturday to try to get him close to full fitness and to give him half-an-hour or so on Tuesday was great.

"You can see the difference he makes as he’s a top striker at this level.”

But big midfield signing Dan Bradley is unlikely to feature at the weekend as he suffers injury problems too.

Eustace insisted he was not unhappy with his players after the Tamworth defeat left the promotion hopefuls 15th in the table following five losses from the first 11 games.

He added: “We’re obviously disappointed with the two goals but I was very pleased with the way they kept going and we could have nicked a draw in the end.”