08-02-21 – Preview – Boston Utd Vs Kidderminster Harriers

The Harriers will be paying their first visit to Boston Utds new ground tomorrow evening but, as is the norm now, there will not be any fans there to tick the Jakemans Community Stadium off their updated 92 list. The smart looking ground is situated to the South of Boston but at the moment is in an unfinished state with two stands built so far and a covered standing area behind one of the goals. 

This will be our first game back from the ‘Winter break’ but Boston have played in the FA Trophy losing against Chesterfield on penalties. Ironically Chesterfield have now withdrawn from the competition after being struck down by COVID once again. With the self made mess from the National League both clubs are one of the ‘finish the season clubs’ with others like Curzon Ashton, Chester FC and Bradford PA refusing to carry on.

With this long lay-off we do now have a fully fit squad to call on although Amari Morgan-Smith will still be missing (more about him further down). The fit squad should mean a rare outing for Jim Kellermann with him spending more time on the couch than on the pitch. It will also see the extension of Jason Cowleys loan starting with Bromsgrove Sporting agreeing to him spending a further month with us.

Boston, having played more recently than we have, do have one outstanding injury with Tom Platt missing with a hamstring injury. They have no other injuries to speak of.

Now for Morgan-Smith! If you can remember that far back but in the first game of the delayed season we were at home to Chester. AMS was dismissed towards the end of the first half for allegedly swearing at persons unknown but I think it would be safe to say it was the referee. The delicate man in black filed his report on the incident after the game and the culprit served a two match ban.

That, we thought, was that but it now transpires that the FA were going to take further action and now he’s been handed a further four match ban on top. Now you’ll get confused because just a few weeks later he was sent off again, at Hereford, and is still in the process of serving a four match ban for that red card.

That is due to end tomorrow and would have meant that he’d have been available for the Darlington FC game at Aggborough this coming Saturday. Now it looks like he’ll be serving a further four games that, in theory, will take him up to the end of this month, 27th, and the game at home to Chorley FC.

This is only supposition because the club have failed to clarify the situation with a full statement on the official website and have said the matter is now closed. Well, not quite.

Photo © KHFC

Teams:

Harriers from:

Simpson, Palmer, Phillips, Richards, Austin, Lowe, Moyo, Penny, Arthur, Maxwell, Taylor, Montrose, Tolley, Prosser, Kellermann, Martin, Freemantle, Hemmings, White, Cowley, Sterling-James.

Boston Utd from:

Crook, Fitzsimons, Duxbury, Garner, Gibbens, Shiels, Tootle, Warren, Dimaio, Green, Hawkridge, Leesley, Preston, Rose, Thanoj, Burrow, Rollins, Thewlis, Wright.  

Referee: Mr Jonathon Maskrey. Stoke on Trent

Talk about the game here

Links to Boston Utd websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here