01-09-17 – Preview – Harriers Vs Boston Utd

A re-jigging of the squad members in the past few days will see a much weakened Harriers side take to the field at home to Boston Utd tomorrow. With the side already looking like mid-table fodder we released Jean-Michael Joachim before the Alfreton game last Saturday, but didn’t tell anyone, and then later on this week following yet another bad away day at Brackley we released Liam Daly and Cieron Keane by mutual consent.

Daly had already arranged his return to Solihull after failing to do the biz with us and was welcomed by like the homecoming hero to West Birmingham. Keane on the other hand immediately joined Alfreton Town so it looks like his bit of business was done during last Saturdays game then.

Incoming yesterday was Fraser Horsfall from Huddersfield Town and he’ll take up a role at the back but where we know not. He was at Gateshead on a long term loan until yesterday morning but was re-called to join us after having never featured for them. He also spent time out on loan with Stalybridge Celtic and Salford City last season at both ends of the table and appears to have been well liked by both sets of fans at those clubs. 

Hopefully having only one come in to the three that have gone out we might be seeing another defender come in at some point today and with yesterdays transfer deadline over for another few weeks there should be quite a few spare defenders milling round.

So we now face two home games in quick succession and we need to get over last Mondays terrible performance at Brackley with the first of two home wins. We’re up against a Boston side tomorrow managed by former Harrier Adam Murray.

They too are struggling to get results and have just two home wins and a draw so far and no points at all on the road. They might also be without two players tomorrow (depends on this weird 7 day ruling for dismissals) after both Gregg Smith and Brad McGowan were sent off in their 2-1 defeat at FC Utd last Saturday for bad fouls. McGowan then turned around and grabbed their face saving equaliser just seconds from time at Nuneaton on Monday.

Playing for Boston now is our former winger Tyrell Waite who has made a couple of starts for them but is mainly used from the bench. Also there is Jordan Keane, the brother of the now departed Cieron.

Boston didn’t do any business in the transfer market yesterday but did bring Jay Rollins back to the club after he declined a new contract last season but couldn’t find a new club to join. Going the other way was defender Tom Batchelor who has decided to quit the game and follow a new path.

Even with the departures and in-comings we still could be without a few players with injuries. Joe Ironside, Dan Bradley and Joel Taylor all missed the game at Brackley while Liam Truslove was still missing with a knee injury. At least two of those should be ok for tomorrow. 

So hopefully we’ll be seeing another home win for us against Boston to follow up last Saturdays 2-1 win against Alfreton. We struggled badly in the first half of that game and it wasn’t until Andre Brown came on to accompany Ironside up front did we look anything like threatening. It still wasn’t brilliant but now with a more, hopefully, creative defender at the back too we might begin to regain a semblance of what we were last season.

Photo © HTAFC

Teams:

Harriers from:

Hall, Bannister, Webb, Williams, Taylor, Digie, Horsfall, Croasdale, Truslove, Weeks, Austin, A Brown, Sonupè, Bradley, McQuilkin, N’Gwatala, Ironside, Nti.

Boston from:

Payne, Willis,  Beatson, Cowgill, Clifton, Hare, J Keane, McGowan, Yeomans, Adams, Broadhead, Chapman, Hemmings, McGuire, Vince, Warren, Hawley, Rollins, Smith, Tshimanga, Waite.

Talk about the game here and phone the Harriers Hotline on 01905 577 777 after the game too.

Links to Boston Utd websites here

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