JAN Molby fears that Bury's pitch may stop his Kidderminster side playing flowing football when the two teams meet at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

Harriers boss Molby described the Gigg Lane playing surface as one of the worst in the division ahead of the match, the first of three crucial games for the Shakers.

Kidderminster currently lie in 20th place in the Nationwide Third Division table, five places and three points below Bury.

The fixture is followed by the visit of third-from-bottom Southend United next week with a trip up to resurgent bottom-of-the-table Carlisle United a week later.

Harriers have also enjoyed a revival since Molby returned to Aggborough for a second spell in October, but the former Liverpool and Denmark midfielder is less than confident about Saturday's clash.

He said: "Bury are a handful and a physically strong side but the worst thing about playing them is probably their pitch which is recognised as one of the worst in the division.

"We will have to adapt to the conditions and I don't think we want to be taking any chances in our own half."

Bury will go into the game without midfielder Terry Dunfield, who serves a one-match ban, while Lee Unsworth is still four weeks away from full fitness after a hernia operation.

On-loan Manchester City midfielder Glenn Whelan is likely to make his penultimate Shakers appearance.

His spell at the club will come to an end after the Southend game next week and manager Graham Barrow is resigned to losing him, as the midfielder has completed a maximum three-month loan stay.

Barrow is expecting a much tougher game than the match between the two teams in August, which the Shakers won 2-0.

He said: "Jan has got into them and they are a much improved side from the one we beat down there.

"I don't think that game is a benchmark for either side.

"They have only about five players left from that team, while we were awful that day despite winning 2-0.