KELTY HEARTS "need more bodies in" are will be looking to exploit the loan market this month to bolster their squad.

Assistant manager, Kevin McDonald, said that the club will be working to add players to "give the group a little bit of help" after stating his belief that they are "quite light" in terms of numbers.

In what has been a summer of transition at New Central Park, after player / manager, Michael Tidser, took over from John Potter, following his departure to take up a new role with Raith Rovers, 14 players left on a permanent basis, with another, Jordan Hunter, joining junior outfit Dundee North End on loan.

They have brought in a total of 11 players and all-but-one - Dundee United midfielder, Lewis O'Donnell, has signed on loan until January - have arrived on permanent deals.

One of those, however, Lewis Moore, was forced off during Saturday's draw with Annan Athletic and, post-match, McDonald said Kelty will be looking to add to their squad.

Despite the transfer window closing last Friday, players who are unattached can still be signed, while clubs outwith the Scottish Premiership can still conclude loan deals throughout September for players at a higher level.

"We need more bodies in, that's 100 per cent. We are quite light and, obviously, if you lose a couple to injuries, there's not much. You've got young lads who have not really played much on the bench," McDonald told Press Sport.

"We probably do need a couple in, and we'll be trying to do that, hopefully, going forward.

"The loan market's going to be massive for us in the next few weeks. It's something that we definitely need to try and look at, and see if we can give the group a little bit of help with some more bodies.

"We've got a lot of bodies in midfield, so it'll be other areas probably, but I just think the group definitely need help with numbers because we are low. We're training with low numbers because we're looking after people, and it's something we definitely need to look at going forward."

McDonald revealed that Moore, who arrived after leaving Queen's Park, missed Kelty's previous match, at Stirling Albion, with a hamstring injury, but was fit to play against Annan after coming through training leading into the game.

However, with just 17 minutes on the clock, he was forced off with what Tidser's number two believed to be a re-occurance of that injury, which looks set to rule him out for Saturday's SPFL Trust Trophy trip to Dumbarton.

That match will be the first time Kelty have met the in-form League Two Sons, and McDonald said they are eager to progress.

Last season, the 'Maroon Machine' reached the quarter-finals of the competition, losing to Queen of the South on penalties, and he added: "I think we need to go and have a go.

"It's another game for the club that can make money. You want to get through to the next round because of what can come off the back of it, so we'll definitely be treating it like a league game, and we'll be going there to try and win."