STAR player Matt Jones will be missing from Neil Kirkpatrick’s Westbury United squad for at least another six weeks after damaged ligaments were confirmed after the club’s 4-1 demolition job of Chipping Sodbury.

News will come as a major blow to Kirkpatrick, who has been without the services of December Player of the Month Jones since Christmas because of his now diagnosed injury.

It means Jones will miss United’s tough games against Shepton Mallet and Plymouth Parkway in the same week in mid-March, plus other fixtures including an Exmouth Town double header and visits to Street and Bridgwater.

The first of United’s two games against Exmouth takes place this weekend in the seaside town.

Jason Henley, Dan Price and Dan Jordan are doubts for the club’s trip to Devon. Kirkpatrick will therefore be forced into shuffling his pack ahead of kick-off.

He said: “It could be another case of shuffling the pack again.

“Exmouth are a strong team, though have wobbled a bit recently – albeit against good sides.

“I hope we can go down there and exploit that.”

Henley and Price starred in United’s three-goal win against Gloucestershire neighbours Chipping Sodbury at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

Ryan Bole notched the first half’s only goal before Jordan Pinder, Callum Demkiv and Daniel Price piled the misery onto the visitors in the second half.

Kirkpatrick pinpointed squad continuity as the reason behind Saturday’s win – a luxury he won’t have this weekend for already mentioned reasons.

He added: “No one deserved to sit out, so I fielded the same XI.

“Chipping Sodbury were a bit like Cadbury Heath, they were a young side and we were dominant from start to finish.

“My only real frustration was conceding the late goal. Their ‘keeper made six or seven good saves, and we hit the bar a couple of times too – so it could’ve been more.

“It’s always nice to pick up another three points, but we expected just that before the game.

“Players gain great confidence from winning games, and I keep saying we need 18 or 19 players throughout a season.

“While no one likes to sit on the bench, it goes a long way in earning results.

“We’re in for a tough run of fixtures now, starting with Exmouth this weekend.”

Bradford Town play Shepton Mallet in Toolstation Premier Division this evening.