05-04-24. Kidderminster Harriers Vs FC Halifax Town. Match preview

Preview:Phil Lench

Last Friday it was all despondency wherever you looked when the Harriers lost 3-1 at home to Altrincham and relegation was assumed to be inevitable but move on a couple of days and you’d have thought we were heading for the play-offs following our amazing win by the same scoreline at champions Chesterfield FC.

It was the worst of games, it was the best of games. (© Charles Dickens, almost)

Now we face FC Halifax Town tomorrow evening in a game, at Aggborough, that has ‘must win’ all over it but didn’t we say the same about the Altrincham game? It has to be hoped that lessons were learnt from that game, especially defensively, and that with the tightening up that we saw at Chesterfield that could be the case. With just three games left of the season we really have to go for max points from all three but at the same time Halifax will also have the same idea because they need the points to get into the play-off places.

Apart from Shane Byrne, still on crutches, we have no other injuries to worry about. Although Krystian Pearce and Todd Miller weren’t in the squad on Monday it’s thought that was for tactical and not injury reasons. 

Pearces’ replacement was Matt Preston and, like Dickens, he had a best and worst of games after he put through his own net to bring the champions level but then redeemed himself towards the end of the game with his first proper goal for the Harriers when he scored our third of the day. His overall performance was very good and he could keep Krystian out for another game.

There was also a good game for young Charlie Weston who looks eager to get onto the scoresheet whenever he gets the chance. He must have had three good chances to score from distance but all were blocked by the Spireites defenders. His time will come and hopefully soon.

Arguably the best performance of the day was from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain with his long throws that led to two of our goals. It wasn’t just that particular weapon that impressed though, it was his all round play and solidity. Gone was the too laid back attitude from the previous times he was given a chance and instead we got a good, solid showing from him that, like Preston, could see him in the starting eleven again tomorrow.

A win against ‘Fax could take us out of the bottom four relegation places but not by much. We could go to nineteenth if we win by five goals and Ebbsfleet Utd get overturned by AFC Fylde (did I just say that?) but I think it’ll be just the one place if Wealdstone and Boreham Wood can battle out a scoreless draw. The last thing we want there is a win for Boreham and a defeat for us. Please God no!

Photo © KHFC

Referee: Mr Andrew Miller. Durham

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