HEREFORD United Director of Football Graham Turner fears that new striker Steve Piearce could miss the start of the season.

Piearce, recruited from Halesowen Town, has been restricted to a total of just 90 minutes of action so far because of a thigh injury.

And he will sit out tonight's home friendly with Premiership side Coventry City (7.45).

Turner said: "He has missed a fair amount of training.

"If he has a realistic chance of playing at Sutton he has to be playing at Worcester on Saturday or at Oldbury next Monday."

Better news for Turner is that defenders Tony James and Ian Rodgerson are expected to have shaken off calf and hamstring injuries respectively to figure in the match with the Sky Blues tonight.

Coventry are expected to bring a strong line-up to Edgar Street.

Manager Gordon Strachan is expected to include Australian striker John Aloisi, signed from Portsmouth last season, and possibly ex-Leeds front man Noel Whelan, who is believed to be a target for Aston Villa.

Republic of Ireland defender Gary Breen, formerly with Birmingham City, should also play along with the club's new Italian goalkeeper, Raffaele Muzzo, signed on a 12-month loan from Inter Milan.

Turner added: "The squad that Coventry have sent to our programme is a full first-team squad - I am hoping it will be as strong as that.

"In our last two games we have been carrying one or two problems with injuries and we have had to play people in a variety of positions, but it hasn't done our fitness any harm at all."