Kyle Lightbourne aims to earn his stripes with the Tigers of Hull City.

The Bermudian striker has joined the English Third Division outfit on loan from Macclesfield Town until the end of the season.

Lightbourne was transfer-listed by Macclesfield boss Dave Moss earlier this year after an injury blighted season at Moss Rose.

One of the club's highest paid players, Lightbourne has found himself surplus to requirements at the club with Moss, who replaced Gil Prescott, being told he has to cut the wage bill before he can bring any fresh blood in.

Lightbourne said he felt the move was best for all concerned.

"I got a call from the chairman on Tuesday asking me if I'd like to come to Hull City on loan until the end of the season," he said. "In my current position it seemed like a good option and hopefully I can help the team push on for promotion and score a few goals along the way.

Hull are currently ninth in the table, six places ahead of Macclesfield, and have an outside shot a play-off berth.

"I had been playing regularly for Macclesfield at the start of the season but then I got injured and with new management coming in my situation has changed," Lightbourne went on.

"But in football that's something you have to accept and I'm just grateful that this new opportunity has presented itself."

The British transfer deadline looms next week and if he impresses Lightbourne might land himself a permanent deal. If not he has the knowledge he still has a year to run on his Macclesfield contract.

"I don't know if anything will happen at the end of the season as regards myself and all I'm concentrating on is producing the goods in the six games that we have left," he said.

"The team have struggled a bit but there are some good players here and I'm sure everything will fall into place if we can pick up a win pretty quickly."

Lightbourne is expected to go straight into the squad for Saturday's Third Division clash at Leyton Orient.

His arrival ends a long search for a striker and City chairman Adam Pearson is pleased with his catch.

"We've been looking for someone to increase our options up front and take some of the weight off Gary Alexander's shoulders," he told the Hull Daily Mail yesterday. "We've looked at several players and we've agreed to take Lightbourne until the end of the season.

"He is experienced and he will give us more of a physical presence up front. Perhaps more importantly, he's very determined to impress people."

The Tigers caretaker boss Billy Russell, in the hotseat following the departure of Brian Little, ironically Lightbourne's manager while he was at Stoke City, was also pleased by the player's arrival.

"He's a great addition to our squad at this stage of the season and we're delighted to have him on board," he said.

"Kyle has a lot of experience and he'll be a big benefit to us between now and the end of the season."

After Orient, City's run in continues with games against Darlington, Cheltenham Town, Luton Town, Bristol Rovers and ends with the derby game against Lincoln City on April 20.

Meanwhile, Shaun Goater, red carded for deliberate handball during Manchester City's 2-1 shock defeat at Stockport is set to be punished with a three game ban.

The 30-goal striker's season could end following the Easter Sunday showdown with Wolves.

The ban means he misses the final three games of the season against Barnsley, Gillingham and Portsmouth.