A key component in the national football team's midfield will be missing during next week's Digicel Caribbean Cup triangular play off involving Haiti, Dominican Republic and host country Bermuda at the National Sports Centre (NSC).

2005-06 MVP Keith Jennings, who has played a vital role in Bermuda's Digicel Cup bid this year, has now been ruled for the remainder of the season through a spinal injury.

The 28-year-old North Village footballer was found to have sustained fractured bones in his upper spine after having cat scans administered in the hospital following last Sunday's Premier Division clash involving the Reds and Paget Lions which ended in a 3-3 draw at White Hill Field.

Yesterday a visibly "disappointed" national coach Kyle Lightbourne admitted Jennings' services will be missed next week. "Obviously Keith is going to be missed," Lightbourne said. "He was outstanding for us in Barbados and I would like to wish him well.

"He will definitely be missed because he's a ball player, he likes to handle the ball and at that level you need guys who really want the ball who are not afraid to put their foot on the ball and slow the game down or pick the tempo up when needed."

Lightbourne, however, stressed that there are others in the squad capable of filling the void left by Jennings who was also the chief architect in many of the national team's set pieces.

"We had a few guys who really didn't get much playing time in Barbados, guys like Jelani Scott," the coach added.

PHC's Blenn Bean and Somerset Trojans' and former national team captain Meshach Wade are others who could be given the nod to play in the middle alongside Devonshire Cougars' supreme duo Kwame Steede and Domico Coddington.

"Obviously this opens the door for others as well. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see although without a doubt I do feel a bit disappointed about Keith's injury," Lightbourne said.

Ironically, Jennings' injury comes at a time when elder brother and Bermuda national team captain Kentoine Jennings is fast recovering from a calf strain he suffered on the eve of the national team's crucial second round qualifying Group G match with hosts country Barbados in the Caribbean late last month.

Jennings, who has returned to national team practice at the NSC, sat out the first match against St. Vincent and the Grenadines through suspension, while team officials decided the veteran's services were not needed in the second match against Bahamas which Bermuda won convincingly 4-0.