LEIGH RMI have been rocked by the news that star defender Gerry Harrison will be missing until November with a knee injury.

He is expected to be missing for six to eight weeks.

It is a massive blow to a club who are already struggling with a threadbare squad.

He has been an instrumental figure at the back since joining the club in

December 2001 and despite a particularly leaky defence blighting Steve

Waywell's early season plans, the central trio of Neil Durkin, Wayne Maden

and Harrison does look promising.

His absence is likely to enable Neil Fitzhenry a run in the first-team - a

further chance to impress after a shaky start to life at Hilton Park.

The former Wigan anchorman was sent off on his league debut and had a nightmare

half an hour as a substitute as Leigh crashed to defeat at Woking last

month.

The next game for RMI is a tricky home tie with Barnet on Saturday, swiftly

followed by the visit of Nuneaton Borough on Tuesday.