St@tto's Kidderminster Harriers Diary
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** LATEST NEWS **
31 December Exeter City Preview Harriers travel south tomorrow to see in the New Year at St James' Park against struggling Exeter City. After Sunday's draw at Bury, Harriers have no fresh injury worries to add to the casualty list of Adie Smith, Scott Stamps and Sean Parrish, along with the suspended Drewe Broughton. Ian Joy remains in the squad for the last time after the club confirmed yesterday that he is going home to the USA after failing to break into the Harriers first team. Like Harriers Exeter have been making use of the loan system and have just secured extensions to the loans of Adam Virgo from Brighton and George Pilkington from Everton. Both defenders should figure in the game but Adam Cronin will miss out as he has a shoulder injury. The 1-1 draw with Macclesfield at the weekend stretched their unbeaten run to four games in all competitions but they still lie in 22nd place, just one above the relegation zone. The two sides have faced each other once already this season, a game that ended in Harriers' first win of the season - a 4-3 victory with two goals each from Lee Ayres and Bo Henriksen. The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-1 win for Exeter. For a complete rundown on previous games with The Grecians, click here. I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Bennett, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Melligan, Williams, Bishop, Henriksen, Flynn. Referee is set to be Richard Beeby from Northamptonshire who so far this season has refereed three Division Three games, issuing four yellow cards. 29 December Harriers Shaken But Not Stirred Harriers ended the year having to settle for a draw at Bury after taking the lead but stretched their unbeaten run to three games. Miserable weather and a dreadful surface made for a game that was short of quality but high on effort. After a goalless first half Harriers took the lead when Bo Henriksen was fouled inside the penalty area and stepped forward to take the penalty himself, registering his ninth league goal of the season and equalling Harriers Football League record for goals in a season held by John Durnin. Jon Newby grabbed his eleventh of the season to level the scores thirteen minutes from the end. Late in the second half Ian Joy was introduced as a sub for what may be his last game in a Harriers shirt before he heads home to America to try and get himself fixed up with a MLS team to improve his chances with the USA national team. 28 December Bury Preview Harriers travel to Gigg Lane tomorrow aiming to continue their winning run after Christmas victories at Wrexham and at home to Leyton Orient. Ian Britton does have selection worries, however. In addition to Adie Smith and Scott Stamps who are already out, Dean Bennett, JJ Melligan and Sean Parrish all picked up knocks in the Boxing Day win over Orient and Drewe Broughton begins a four match suspension. Bennett has a shin problem, Melligan hurt his ankle and Parrish has a hamstring injury, so Daire Doyle and Ian Foster stand by while Danny Williams is the most likely to return to the starting line-up. In attack Andy Bishop and Bo Henriksen should continue in Broughton's absence. Bury manager Andy Preece was not happy with his team after they were beaten 4-1 at Shrewsbury on Boxing Day, he said, "I'm at a loss to describe a performance like that, it was so poor and I am very disappointed. We got into plenty of dangerous areas and to score only one goal was criminal". Lenny Johnrose is set to miss out for The Shakers as he has a hamstring injury, he is likely to be replaced by either George Clegg or Paul O'Shaughnessy. Other changes are likely with Preece wanting to improve on Thursday's performance. Harriers have met Bury only once in the past, an LDV game in 2001 which was comfortably won by Bury and resulted in Jan Molby putting seven players on the transfer list. To check out that game, click here. I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Foster, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Melligan, Williams, Bishop, Henriksen, Flynn. Referee for the game is due to be Graham Laws from Whitley Bay who so far this season has been in the middle at four Division Three games, showing 19 yellow cards and 1 red. 26 December We Three Kidds Sink Orient - Ahh! Dean Bennett, Sam Shilton and Bo Henriksen were the Three Kings bearing gifts for Harriers as The Reds twice came from behind to beat ten-man Orient at Aggborough. In-form Orient had taken an early lead through Jabo Ibehre but Harriers drew level when Bennett got his head to long clearance by Stuart Brock. The visitors were reduced to ten men just before the interval when Chris Tate got his marching orders after a dreadful late challenge on Bennett. After the break it looked as though it wasn't going to be Harriers' day as they struggled to break down the Londoners' defence and then sloppy defending allowed Ibehre his second goal. However, Harriers kept plugging away and were rewarded with an Shilton's equaliser 12 minutes from time and then with six minutes left Henriksen popped up to hit the winner with a delightful chip. 25 December Leyton Orient Preview Harriers boss Ian Britton has an almost full squad to choose from tomorrow when Leyton Orient visit Aggborough. Only Adie Smith and Scott Stamps are injured and everybody got through last weekend's win at Wrexham unscathed. Drewe Broughton is available for the last time before he starts his four game ban following his second sending-off of the season against York. Orient come to Aggborough on the back of three consecutive Division Three victories, although they were recently dumped out of the FA Cup by Conference side Margate. In the league, however, they have started to drag themselves up the table - currently they lie in 14th position - with wins at Boston (1-0), against Torquay (2-0 at Brisbane Road), and most recently at struggling Swansea (1-0). Goals have been proving hard to come by, there is a four-way tie for top scorer at the club with Matt Lockwood, Kevin Nugent, Chris Tate and Lee Thorpe all having three apiece. Tate, however, is the man in form at the moment, after a spell on loan at Chester City earlier in the season he has returned to The O's and notched three goals in four games. Manager Paul Brush is set to name an unchanged side from the one that won in Wales last weekend, only Simon Downer, Carl Hutchings and Dave McGhee are injured. Downer and Hutchings are both some way off a return while McGhee is unlikely to figure again this season as he is suffering with a bad knee injury. Earlier in the season the two sides met at Brisbane Road with Harriers defending resolutely to frustrate their hosts and come away with a 0-0 draw. The corresponding fixture at Aggborough last season was won 1-0 by Orient, the only time that they have beaten Harriers. For a full rundown on previous encounters, click here. I expect Harriers to line up as follows: Brock, Bennett, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Melligan, Flynn, Bishop, Henriksen, Parrish. Referee for tomorrow's match is Peter Walton from Northamptonshire. Harriers have welcomed this ref to Aggborough already this season, he took control of the game against Darlington. In Division Three this season he has controlled six matches issuing 15 yellow cards and 1 red. 24 December A Christmas Present From The Wolves Wolves manager Dave Jones has given Harries a boost ahead of the busy Christmas period by agreeing to allow loanees Kenny Coleman and JJ Melligan to remain at Aggborough for the rest of the season. 21 December Robins Shot Down One of Harriers' best all-round performances of the season saw them record their first win since October, coincidentally the last time they were in Wales, with a fine 2-0 win over Wrexham. Wrexham-born Sean Parrish opened the scorin for Harriers in the last minute of the first half with a 20-yard volley, and then in the second half the home team were reduced to ten men when Darren Ferguson, son of Sir Alex, was sent off for a nasty challenge on JJ Melligan. Melligan himself wrapped up the victory when he hit a 25-yard screamer in the last minute. 20 December Wrexham Preview The loan period of Andy Bishop has now been extended to last for the rest of the season, which has been welcomed by manager Ian Britton, "This is great news, he will only get better", he said. Drewe Broughton will also be available tomorrow but it has been confirmed that he will miss four matches after his sending-off against York City last week. Apart from Adie Smith and Scott Stamps, Harriers have a full squad to choose from tomorrow, Danny Williams returns from suspension to face his former club. Wrexham boss Dennis Smith has a number of selection problems, however, Brian Carey, Dennis Lawrence, Jim Whitley and Paul Edwards have all been receiving treatment for injuries while Shaun Pejic and Paul Whitfield are both ill. With Whitfield ill and Andy Dibble a long term injury victim the goalkeeping spot is one to cause a lot of concern with Kristian Rogers on stand-by. In their last six games in Division Three Wrexham are unbeaten, winning four and drawing two. In Andy Morrell they have the division's leading scorer with 15 from his 20 games although after him the next highest in the squad is Hector Sam with five, so the burden is on Morrell. Harriers have not faced Wrexham in the Football League before, the last time the teams met was in the Welsh FA Cup semi final in 1988, Wrexham winning the second leg at The Racecourse 3-2 with Harriers' goals coming from Rob Jones and Paul Davies. For a run down on all previous meetings, click here. I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Bennett, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Williams, Melligan, Bishop, Henriksen, Flynn. Referee for the game is due to be Steve Mathieson from Stockport who has taken control of four Division Three games so far this season, issuing 20 yellow cards and one red. 16 December Bishop Set To Extend Stay Teenage striker Andy Bishop is set to extend his loan stay at Aggborough when his current month-long arrangement ends this week. He said, "The manager has asked me to stay for another month and I've said yes, so I think I'll be here for another month at least. I'm really enjoying it here. The lads have been brilliant with me and it's good to be playing regularly". At the same time manager Ian Britton is continuing to search for new talent, whether permanent transfer or the more likely loan move, saying in his postmatch press conference on Saturday, "I've spoken to two or three players and spoken to managers about different things and for one reason or another they didn't want to come or the money wasn't right". 14 December Broughton Off As Harriers Lose Again Harriers were unfortunate to suffer their fourth consecutive 2-1 defeat, losing to York at Aggborough with ten men after Drewe Broughton was sent off for the second time this season. Just for a change Harriers went behind in the first half, this time to a Stephen Brackstone goal, before Broughton received his marching orders six minutes before the break for using his elbow in a challenge with City's Jonathan Parkin. The striker now faces a four match ban - three for the red card and another as it is his second red of the season. Within a minute of being reduced to ten men Harriers were level when Andy Bishop scored the equaliser. After the break Harriers dominated the game, twice having goalbound headers cleared off the line, but were sunk four minutes from time by a breakaway York goal scored by Lee Nogan. 13 December York City Preview Harriers face their first league action for two weeks tomorrow when play-off rivals York City visit Aggborough. Andy Ducros has been recalled from his loan at Nuneaton Borough and goes straight into the squad while Danny Williams misses the game through suspension having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the game at Hartlepool last month. On the plus side, however, there are no fresh injuries from the midweek game at Brentford to add to Adie Smith and Scott Stamps who will not return until the New Year. York are having a better season than usual, currently lying two places above Harriers in eigth just outside the play-offs. They come to Aggborough unbeaten in their last five league matches and having won their last three against Leyton Orient (3-2), at Rochdale (1-0), and against Carlisle (2-1). Dangerman is striker Peter Duffield who has ten goals from twenty appearances, a total only bettered by three players in the rest of the Third Division. Missing from the squad tomorrow will be Alex Mathie and Chris Smith who are injured while on-loan Michael Reddy returns to the squad after Sunderland prevented him from taking part in last Saturday's FA Cup defeat against Brentford and Tom Cowan who has been out for the last two months with a calf injury. Harriers have a good record against The Minstermen winning the corresponding fixture last season 4-1 with two goals from Drewe Broughton, one from Abdou Sall and one from Ian Foster. All the results from previous meetings can be found here. I expect Harriers to line up as follows: Brock, Bennett, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Flynn, Melligan, Broughton, Henriksen, Parrish. Referee for the game is due to be Paul Taylor from Hertfordshire who so far this season has taken control of three Third Divsion games issuing 14 yellow cards and 1 red. 13 December Mark Blake Quits Mark Blake has today officially announced his retirement from the game, admitting defeat in his battle with the achilles injury that he has had since February. Harriers' club captain had been thought to be making good progress in his rehabilitation from the injury picked up in a Division Three game against Carlisle but specialists have advised him that it is not going to get any better. Speaking to the Official Harriers website he said, "The rehabilitation was going well in the gym and I was working hard. But the most important thing was how I would react to being out on the pitch again. Unfortunately I couldn't recover sufficiently enough as the injury was that bad. I couldn't cope with the final stage of rehabilitation I was advised to hang up my boots". 10 December Stung By The Bees Harriers' interest in this season's LDV Vans Trophy was ended at Griffin Park by Brentford after the home team took an early two goal lead giving Harriers a mountain to climb. For the fifth time in the last six matches Harriers were slow out of the blocks and went behind to goals from Scott Marshall and Kevin O'Connor. The second half performance was much better and Drewe Broughton pulled one goal back while Sean Parrish missed a great chance to equalise. 9 December Brentford Preview After a break of ten days Harriers return to action tomorrow in the Area-Quarter Final of the LDV Vans Trophy with their firs ever visit to Brentford's Griffin Park. Ian Britton has been treating his players to intensive training over the last few days to work the defeat at Hartlepool out of their system that caused him great disappointment. The break should have allowed most of the niggling injuries to clear up but one definite absentee will be Bo Henriksen who serves a suspension for picking up his fifth booking of the season in the FA Cup replay at Rushden a fortnight ago. Also definitley out are Scott Stamps and Adie Smith who have both undergone surgery in the last few days, Stamps to repair his torn adductor muscle and Smith to clean up the inside of his ankle. Wally Downes' side are on a high after beating York City on Saturday to reach the Third Round of the FA Cup and a tie at home to First Division Derby County. Missing from tomorrow evenings game will be striker Mark McCammon, a goalscorer on Saturday, who was hurt by a challenge from Chris Brass wich resulted in the Brentford man being taken to hospital where he spent the night. Jamie Fullarton should return, however, after having served a three match suspension. Current form is indifferent for Brentford who currently lie ninth in the Second Division, they have won their last three cup matches but lost the last three league games that they have played. I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Bennett, Shilton, Coleman, Ayres, Hinton, Melligan, Flynn, Broughton, Bishop, Parrish. Referee is due to be Brian Curson from Leicestershire who has taken control of two Harriers matches already this season: the Worthington Cup tie at Nottingham Forest and the 4-0 win at Swansea in the Third Division. 3 December One In, One Out Squad movement began today with the welcome return of JJ Melligan from Wolves while in the opposite direction Matty Lewis moves to Dr Martens League side Bath City on loan now that his loan spell at Evesham is over. JJ was recalled by Wolves to cover their mdfield which was depleted by injury and suspension but as they are now welcoming senior players back into the squad manager Dave Jones has dediced to allow him to return to Aggborough for a third month. Should Wolves suffer no new problems in the intense holiday programme he may be allowed to remain at the club for the rest of the season, speaking to the Official Wolves Website Jones said, "Now that Colin and Keith are fit again we decided to send JJ back to Kidderminster for his last month. The last thing I want to do is stifle the youngster at this stage of his career, so we felt it was better for him to be playing first team football elsewhere than leaving him in our reserves. Obviously, we will be keeping an eye on him over the coming few weeks and then we'll have a decision to make as to whether we should bring him back into the fold here or if we should leave him at Aggborough for the rest of the season. But, that decision will be made at a later date depending on the state of injuries and everything else that we face over the next month". The player himself said, "I've really enjoyed my spell with the first team, it's been a wonderful experience but I am really pleased to be going back to Kidderminster. I had a great couple of months with them and it really helped me to improve my game. I just hope that I can pick up where I left off and continue banging in the goals. I look forward to meeting up with the lads in training again tomorrow morning, especially Kenny Coleman who's still over there on-loan as well". Lewis, meanwhile, has had a succesful spell in the Western Division of the Dr Marten's League at Evesham where he has scored six goals in his month-long loan spell. Now he faces a stiffer test as he steps up a division to the Premier, Ian Britton told the Official Harriers website, "Matty has been mooted as one for the future but youth team football will only improve him so far. He did well at Evesham and now I want him to play in a higher league and do the same with Bath. He needs experience of the rough-and-tumble of the adult game. This should be a good move from him". 2 December Brit Furious With Players "If it means I have to change players then believe me, I will change them." - Ian Britton Harriers boss Ian Britton was furious with his players after Saturday's defeat at league leaders Hartlepool. He was particularly disappointed with the way in which they failed to do the basic things properly, gifting United a two-goal lead inside fifteen minutes. Speaking to the press after the game he was scathing in his comments saying, "In the first half we were poor. We could have probably conceded four or five goals quite easily. We are miles away from what we were doing five or six weeks ago. Some of the basic errors we are making at the back are disgraceful, I wouldn't even let our youth team get away with that. It's basic stuff and I think for some of them it's become too hard. Whether it takes me four weeks or four months they'll do things the way I want to do them. If it means I have to change players then believe me, I will change them". Mike Newell, the Hartlepool manager, was understandably delighted with the win and relieved that they were able to contain Harriers' second half comeback. He said, "Kidderminster were always going to be dangerous, they're a good footballing side and they've got a good record away from home. They were always going to be dangerous and it was disappointing that they got their goal so early in the second half. We did well in the second half although I thought we could have kept the ball a bit longer, we kept it in the corners well late on in the game too. I'm happy with the result but I'm never satisfied. There are still aspects of the game which I'll be asking the lads to have a look at". Before Brit can begin bringing in new players, however, others will have to leave as the playing budget for the season has been stretched to the limit. Twelve players are out of contract at the end of the season: Lee Ayres, Mark Blake, Andy Corbett, John Danby, Daire Doyle, Andy Ducros, Sean Flynn, Ian Foster, Ian Joy, Abdou Sall, Sam Shilton and Danny Williams; it could be the case that some of them will not last until the end of the season, Abdou Sall is already on loan at Oxford, Andy Corbett is to spend the rest of the season at Solihull, Andy Ducros has had his loan at Nuneaton extended by another month and unconfirmed rumour has it that Mark Blake has lost his fight with injury and will not return to action. To remove any of these from the wage bill would be immensely beneficial to Brit to allow some flexibility in his plans. |
