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** LATEST NEWS **
- 30 November
Luton Game Off
Fearing defeat, Luton have managed to get tomorrow's game called
off. Nine off their players have been diagnosed as having flu in
addition to the 16 who were already injured. This left them with
only five fit players. An independent doctor was called in and
confirmed that they would not be able to field a team.
There is no news as yet as to when the game will be played.
- 30 November
Luton Town Preview
Harriers entertain Luton Town tomorrow on the crest of a wave
following four successive league victories. Luton, on the other hand,
are in something of a slump and will not relish their first visit to
Aggborough.
The Hatters arrive having lost the last three games and with such
an injury crisis that manager Joe Kinnear approached the Football League
to ask for the game to be postponed, but that will not happen. Nine
first team players are doubtful for the clash: Carl Griffiths and Paul
Hughes are long term absentees and are joined on the injury list by
Aaron Skelton, Russell Perrett, Jean-Louis Valois, Andrew Fotiadis,
Lee Mansell, Kevin Street and Adam Locke.
In a bid to strengthen the squad, Kinnear has been in hot pursuit
of Mansfield Town striker Chris Greenacre. Last month The Stags turned
down a bid of around £300000 and this week Luton tried again with an
increased bid but were again unsuccessful.
Harriers welcome back Drewe Broughton and Ian Foster to the squad
after suspension, but Danny Williams will be missing as he has accumulated
five yellow cards do far this season. The most likely change to the
team, then, will probalbly be the return of Broughton to lead the
attack with in-form Dean Bennett moving back into midfield to take
one of the wide positions and skipper Mark Blake moving into the centre.
There are plenty of alternatives in attack, though, Broughton missed
the midweek reserve game against Mansfield in which Foster scored twice
and Andy Ducros was an influential figure.
This is the first meeting of the two teams, so there are no past
clashes to study.
I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Larkin, Bennett, Broughton, Henriksen, Appleby.
- 26 November
Molby Happy With Climb Towards Play-Offs
Following Harriers' fourth consecutive League victory, Jan Molby
decided to face the press himself. Obviously delighted with the win
over former Conference adversaries Rushden he was full of praise for
his players.
He said, "I think we have a couple of qualities, one is our fitness
and the other is our pace and teams find that difficult to play against.
With players of the pace of Bennett and Larkin you will always create
chances and today we have taken them, the players are playing with a
great desire at the moment.
"We're obviously doing very well at the moment and we're pleased
because they don't concede an awful lot of goals, everybody's playing
their part which is important, we had a few missing through suspension
but we have options.
"We won't get carried away because there's still 26 games to go
so we've got to keep it going. We are just coming into a good spell
of form and we are very close to being a good team. Other teams are
also hitting form and we need a few of them to start dropping points
to get into the play-off shake-up".
Rushden boss Brian Talbot was disappointed to have lost but was
more upset by the performance of his team as their 12 game unbeaten
run was ended, "We had to lose sometime and we have lost today against
a better team. I think their centre-half Sall was magnificent, he
didn't give Peter Thompson a kick and won every header. We're all
in this together and if we want to have a successful season we have
got to be at our best week in week out. We know our problem is scoring
goals but it's difficult to do anything about it when you've got no
money."
- 24 November
Sparkling Harriers Dull Diamonds
Two goals in a minute five minutes from the end killed off Division
3 new-boys Rushden at Aggborough. Dean Bennett had earlier given
Harriers the lead with his fourth goal in five games, and strikes from
Mark Blake and Colin Larkin rounded off a sparkling performance which
moves Harriers to within one place of the play-offs.
- 23 November
Rushden & Diamonds Preview
Division Three new boys Rushden are the visitors to Aggborough
tomorrow for the eagerly awaited clash of the last two Conference
champions.
A big crowd is expected at Aggborough as Rushden have requested
1800 tickets, so the season's highest of 3588 for the Bristol Rovers
game could be in danger. Despite only having met nine times, and only
once in a game of any significance, many Harriers supporters see the
Diamonds as the biggest rivals which may cause a few more to come to
the game.
Harriers have a number of selection problems ahead of the game,
with Colin Larkin doubtful after injuring his hamstring during Tuesday's
win at Lincoln, while Drewe Broughton, Ian Foster and Tony Bird are
all suspended.
Rushden boss Brian Talbot has a full squad to choose from, Paul
Underwood and Andy Burgess both came back from injury in Tuesday's
game against Scunthorpe and got through without further problems.
Harriers and Rushden have a fairly even record in the games played,
three wins each and three draws. For a full run dwon of previous
games played, click here.
I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Bennett, Williams, Henriksen, Appleby, Shilton.
- 20 November
Harriers Set Season's Best
A goal from Dean Bennett, his third in three games, five minutes
from time was enough to beat Lincoln at Sincil Bank. Harriers have
now won three league games in a row, the first time that they have
achieved that since promotion to the League.
- 19 November
Lincoln City Preview
It's back to League action tomorrow evening when Harriers travel
to Sincil Bank to take on the Red Imps of Lincoln City.
Colin Larkin returns to the squad after being forced to sit out
Saturday's cup defeat. He may fill in for Drewe Broughton if he has
not recovered from the flu that kept him out of the last game. If
Broughton does make it, it will be the last game he plays before
missing one through suspension. Ian Foster is still suspended and
it is also the last game that Tony Bird will be available for before
beginning a three-match ban.
Lincoln currently occupy thirteenth place in Division Three, one
below Harriers, but over the last six games the have gained one point
more.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 3-3 draw, with
John Durnin scoring on his debut. For a full run-down on previous
meetings, click here.
I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Larkin, Williams, Henriksen, Appleby, Bennett.
- 17 November
Barnett Unhappy With Referee
Harriers were very disappointed to have lost today's cup tie in
controversial circumstances. A Paul Campbell goal was enough to win
the game for the Quakers. Harriers Assistant Manager Gary Barnett
came out to face the press afterwards and said of the throw in decision
that started the move, "It was definitely the wrong decision. The
decision, which was a poor one, goes against us and leads to their
goal. Our defence lost concentration for the cross for the goal and
we paid for it."
Harriers were not at their best with the frst-choice front line
all on the sidelines, and strggled to find a way through a Darlington
defence which had come to make sure Harriers couldn't get their normal
attacking game flowing. "They've come with their defensive set-up
to stifle us and today we haven't been clever enough in and around
the box", continued Barnett, "We haven't played the open attacking
football that we have played over the last few weeks. They've definitely
come for a draw and any team that puts men behind the ball are going
to make it difficult. But our overall football wasn't as sharp as it
has been with our passing and movement. We'll come in on Monday and
we've got to prepare for the game at Lincoln and we'll be positive
because it suits us and that's when we are at our best."
New Darlington manager Tommy Taylor was thriled with the victory,
"The boys defended ever so well, the goalkeeper made one save and
dealt with a couple of crosses and that was it. Everything we tried
on the training ground came off and we got the result we came for.
We put one up and two wide and tried to stifle their full-backs coming
on to us. I think today the players set out to prove a point, they
threw their head in the way when they had to and the desire to win
the ball was good."
- 16 November
Darlington Preview
Harriers hit the FA Cup trail tomorrow in a break from League
action when they entertain fellow Division Three side Darlington.
Harriers are now one of the form teams in the division having
won three of the last five while Darlington have won only once in
the same stretch of games. The settled side that has helped Harriers
to improve over those games will be disrupted tomorrow as Ian Foster
starts a three game ban after his sending-off at Chesterfield and
Colin Larkin will not play as Wolves boss Dave Jones does not want
him to become cup-tied. In their place loanees Richie Appleby and
Bo Henriksen should start. Darlington themselves will also be a man
down through suspension, Barry Conlon sits out the game for them.
The two sides have already met once this sewason in the league,
The Quakers came out on top 2-o at Feethams in a game that Harriers
finished with ten men when Parfait Medou-Otye was sent off. He has
not figured since. Overall, Harriers have a fairly good record against
Darlo, for a full run down of previous meetings, click here.
I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Bennett, Williams, Broughton, Henriksen, Appleby.
- 14 November
Molby Charged With Misconduct
Jan Molby has been charged by the FA with misconduct after an
incident at Doncaster last month during the LDV Vans Trophy tie.
Molby was ordered to the stand after remonstrating with referee
Mark Clattenburg because he was not happy with the challenge on Colin
Larkin by Barry Richardson, the Doncaster keeper, as he clashed with
the striker as he was scoring.
Molby has been charged with breaching league rules E1 and E2 which
govern improper behaviour. However, Molby has said that he will appeal
and request a personal hearing
Last season he was fined £500 and warned to his future conduct
after he was sent to the stand for comments made to the fourth official
at half time in the game against Cardiff at Aggborough.
- 14 November
Molby Excited By Improving Team
"We are as good as anything in the Third
Division" - Jan Molby
The current upturn in Harriers' form has sparked an air of confidence
around Aggborough, and even boss Jan Molby thinks the team can go on
to be as good as any other in the division.
After Harriers' excellent victory at Orient on Saturday the Dane
said, "We are playing with a lot of excitement and pace, and when we
play at that tempo we are as good as anything in the Third Division".
He did add this caveat, however, "We are one bad result away from being
right back near the bottom. We are near the top of a group of teams
who are very tight after being at the bottom of it. In the long term
it would be nice to push on because we have that capability".
In a surprising move, Molby praised his players, something that
is not heard very often, "Everything they do in training is done at
the highest possible tempo and what we saw on Saturday was the result
of what they do every day. Everyone is confident on the ball. The
4-3-3 system demands the players to work very hard but they don't have
a problem doing that. What pleased me most was the way we stepped
it up after they scored. Usually it's backs to the wall, especially
as the away side when a home team scores but I think they only had a
minute of pressure".
With the arrival of Richie Appleby and Bo Henriksen on loan, to
add to Colin Larkin, and the continued use of trialist goalkeepers
in the Reserves, the indications are that there is to be a clearout
of players at Aggborough. At the end of the season no less than 13
players will be out of contract, and the strikers and goalkeepers must
be the most under threat. Tony Bird, although still being top scorer,
and Stewart Hadley have slipped down the pecking order, Brendan Murphy
can't get a game at any level, and veterans Mark Shail and Paul Webb
are only featuring as a last resort. Molby said, "Hadley had a few
run-outs earlier in the season but there comes a stage when your strikers
have to make an impact either in goals or their approach play and he
did not have enough impact in his game. Bird might have been in
contention with Ian Foster and Drewe Broughton soon suspended but it
looks as if he will be banned for his sending off in the reserves so
he hasn't done himself any favours".
However, the Boss refused to rule out the chances of any player
in the squad, "It's wrong to say people are out of of the picture.
It's difficult keeping 29 players happy when you can only involve 16
every week. People have fallen down the pecking order because the
football we are playing at the moment has a lot of youthfulness about
it. If Paul Webb had been our best player on August 11 then he would
have been in the team. Now we have gone with what we have and after
a slow start we have picked up".
- 10 November - Goals from debutants
Richie Appleby and Bo Henriksen help Harriers to a 3-1 win at Leyton
Orient. Dean Bennett had given Harriers a half-time lead which was
cancelled out by a Jeff Minton strike before both new lads came off
the bench to give Harriers their second away league win of the season.
- 9 November - Colin Larkin has had
his loan spell extended to a third month, Wolves boss Dave Jones sees
it as a good opportunity to gain first team experience. Also arriving
on loan is Danish striker Bo Henriksen who arrives from Herfolge on
a three month loan. The Dane spent some time at Aggborough on trial
last month. Both Henriksen an Appleby will be available to play in next week's
FA Cup tie with Darlington.
- 9 November - Harriers have completed
the loan signing of Richie Appleby from Swansea City.
He is the second player to arrive at Aggborough from Swansea this
week, joining up with Michael Keegan who has been on trial. Keegan
has also been given permission to stay at the club for a further week
as he was unable to take part in the Reserve game against Chesterfield
on Wednesday as his international clearance didn't come through from
the Welsh FA in time.
Both players were signed by Jan Molby when he was in charge at
Swansea, Appleby from Ipswich and Keegan he brought through the ranks.
Appleby has joined initially on loan, but with a view to the move
becoming permanent, and is sorry to be leaving The Vetch after five
years. He said, "Of course I'm disappointed to be moving on, as there
appears to be no place for me at Swansea. The manager has given
Kidderminster permission to play me in the FA Cup next week, so the
picture is clear.
"The fans have always been great to me, and if I've played my
last game, then I'd like to thank them for their support over the
last five years."
- 9 November - It's London Calling tomorrow
as Harriers make the trip into the East End to face Leyton Orient at
the Matchroom Stadium.
Orient, under new manager Paul Brush, will be looking to bounce
back from the 4-1 defeat suffered at the hands of Scunthorpe United
last Saturday - their first since Brush took over.
Harriers have an almost complete squad to choose from, Adie Smith's
groin injury stood up to 90 minute workout in the Reserves on Wednesday
and Mark Blake has recovered from the hip injury he picked up in the
game against Bristol Rovers. The only serious injury is that of Lee
Ayres who is now back in training but not yet ready for action.
Jan Molby will probably name the same team for the fifth game in
a row but it is the last time he can do so as Ian Foster begins a
three-match ban after the game. Tomorrow is also the last game of
Colin Larkin's loan spell unless Molby can reach an agreement with
Wolves boss Dave Jones to extend it further. Wolves had two strikers
sent off in a reserve game earlier in the week so Jones may want Larkin
back as cover.
Orient have a number of injury worries, Gary Fletcher will not
be back in training until next week, Ashley Bayes is awaiting the result
of a scan, and Robbie Herrera has just returned to training after a
toe injury.
Although the Scunthorpe defeat was the first under Paul Brush,
Orient have not been enjoying the best form of late. In the last 6
games they have also been beaten by Mansfield and Shrewsbury. Harriers
have yet to lose to Orient since joining the league. For a full run
down of previous Harriers - Orient encounters, click here.
I expect Harriers to line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Larkin, Williams, Broughton, Foster, Bennett.
- "That's simply not acceptable" - Gerry Francis
5 November - Gary Barnett was a happy man
when he faced the press after Saturday's win over struggling Bristol
Rovers at Aggborough. He said, "Crowds love to see open attacking
football and that's what it was".
Conceding that Rovers had had the best of the opening exchanges
he continued, "It was a slow start but once we got going it was very
pleasing. We were far more inventive today in and around the box with
Larkin, Foster and Bennett and they can do that, there's just more
confidence now".
The Assistant Manager feels that the team is starting to gel and
come into some form, "It's slowly coming together, Danny Williams is
starting to get a grip of games, you know what you're going to get
from Blakey and Dean Bennett is enjoying his role. The players are
enjoying the system and in the last four games we have had a lot of
consistent individual performances.
"We were very comfortable at the back and that's a good side to
our game at the moment as well. Now we have got to try and concentrate
on keeping the standards as high as what they are at the moment".
Of Dean Bennett, who scored his first goal of the campaign, he
said, "Dean's been taking a lot of stick because he hasn't scored for
a while but it was a tremendous goal".
Rovers boss Gerry Francis was not at all happy with the result
or the attitude of some of his players, "It's not good enough for me,
I know they can do a lot, lot better than they have in recent weeks.
While I'm manager I'm responsible for results but I think the players
have also got to look at themselves a little bit".
- 3 November - Goals from Dean Bennett, his first
of the season, and Drewe Broughton give Harriers a 2-0 win over Bristol
Rovers. A good all round performance proved too much for Gerry
Francis' disappointing Pirates.
- 2 November - Harriers entertain Bristol Rovers
tomorrow afternoon for the first time in a game which both teams
will feel that they have to win.
Rovers are in a worse position than Harriers, on current form
at least, as they have not won in the League in their last seven
games. If it were not for their good start when they won four of
seven they would be below Harriers in the League and not two points
ahead, obviuosly a Harriers victory will see them leapfrog over
their opponents.
Returning to Aggborough after two games on the road, Harriers
will be hoping for a repeat of the performances against York and
Chesterfield, and the goals of the York game. The three-man attack
is likely to be kept as Jan Molby feels it is giving more offensive
options. Adie Smith may be back in the squad after sitting out
the last three games with a groin injury, and a possible - if
unlikely - addition to the squad is Lee Ayres who has returned
to training after recovering from the broken foot he suffered at
Hull in August. Smith, Ayres and Mark Shail will have a fight on
their hands, however, to displace Abdou Sall from the team after
his impressive displays since coming in for the York game.
Rovers have one or two injury doubts in attack. Trevor Challis
only came back in midweek in their LDV Vans Trophy game from a
dead leg, Nathan Ellington and Ross Weare are almost certain to
miss out - Ellington with a knee injury and Weare with neck trouble.
In their absence Martin Cameron should continue.
I expect Harriers to be unchanged for an unprecedented fourth
game in a row and line-up as follows: Brock, Clarkson, Stamps,
Blake, Hinton, Sall, Larkin, Williams, Broughton, Foster, Bennett.
Also, Harriers have decided not to appeal against Ian Foster's
sending-off at Chesterfield after the video proved inconclusive.
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