GARY Whild hopes to ease a defensive crisis by drafting in experienced defender Clayton McDonald.

Kidderminster Harriers’ could be without two first-choice centre backs for Saturday’s home clash against Braintree (3pm kick-off), with Josh Gowling facing a two-match ban after picking up a tenth yellow card of the season in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Torquay.

Jamie Grimes is expected to play but has not been unable to train after a blow to the head sustained against the Gulls.

McDonald is at Redditch United after playing but has featured for Walsall and Port Vale, but his career has stalled in recent years.

He was acquitted on rape charges in 2012, the same case in which former Sheffield United forward Ched Evans was found guilty.

The defender also featured for Southport on a non-contract basis for 13 games.

Whild said: “Clayton is someone looking to get back into full-time football and would fit into our price bracket at the moment.

“We need an experienced player, we can’t afford to throw a young lad in.”

Harriers, who are 13th in the Vanarama Conference, face a Braintree side who suffered a 2-0 loss at lowly relegation-battling Telford on Tuesday night.

Despite an encouraging display in the loss to Torquay, Kidderminster have lost four games in a row and have not won in nine games.

At the end of Saturday's the game, the manager and Gowling thanked the 216 fans for their efforts.

“The support the fans gave the lads was fantastic,” added the Harriers boss.

“They were outstanding and the lads reacted to that in the second half.”

Meanwhile, Whild said at last week’s fans' forum he will have to decide on the future of mis-firing strikers Craig Reid and Reece Styche, who have bagged just six goals between them for the Reds. The pair have one more year to run on their contracts.

“When we signed them early because they were goal-scorers and were in demand,” he added.

“But it hasn’t worked out, we’re scratching our heads as to why, we’re disappointed and they are as well.

“We’ve got to rectify that and either come to an agreement where they find another club or get their heads down and contribute because we can’t afford to have two guys on their wages not contributing.”

l Meanwhile, Harriers’ home clash against high-flying title-chasing Bristol Rovers on Monday, April 6, is all-ticket and must be bought from the club shop in advance.

l Fans can follow all the action from Braintree game with The Shuttle’s live match updates.