Surgery for Dale starlet

Rochdale teenager Ben Kitchen is likely to be sidelined for at least a month.

Kitchen requires an operation to remove a cyst from under his eyelid and will require several weeks out of action.

The 19-year-old has been suffering from the problem for some time and Rochdale boss Steve Parkin feels he will be best served by having surgery.

"Ben has a cyst under his left eyelid that needs to be removed because it is bothering him," Rochdale physio Andy Thorpe told the club's official website.

"It's got bigger over the last few months and we are looking to send Ben in some time this week to have it taken off.

"He'll need a few weeks to recover after the operation but he should be fine after."

The midfielder made his debut at the end of last season and was on the substitutes' bench at Shrewsbury Town for the opening game of this campaign.