11-02-22 – Preview – AFC Telford Utd Vs Kidderminster Harriers

Preview: Phil Lench

Harriers fans will be hoping it won’t be a case of ‘after the Lord Mayors Show’ at AFC Telford Utd tomorrow when we return to National League North action. They’ll also be hoping for a continuation of that fighting spirit that we saw against West Ham Utd in last Saturdays epic FA Cup 4th round game. A game that will live for ever in the minds of all Harriers fans, neutrals and the rest of the world watching in that day.

After Alex Penny scored our goal within the first twenty minutes of the game it seemed a miracle that seventy minutes later we were still holding that lead and just seconds away from creating history as the lowest place team ever to beat a Premier League team in any competition, let alone the FA Cup. Crushingly Declan Rice worked a bit of classy magic to save his side and then in the final seconds of extra time Jarrod Bowen was to break our hearts but this time it wasn’t so classy.

It was more a case of an offside ruling only seen in their league but not at our level where if there’s just one person offside, no matter where they are, then offside it is. This nonsense of standing in front of the keeper, but not interfering with play, is a ludicrous excuse.

Never mind. It was brilliant while it lasted and we couldn’t have asked for more from our lads. So now it’s back to normality and the crusade to win the title is back on at the Bucks Head tomorrow.

Telford have been at the bottom of the table all season so far but did have a little positive spell a few weeks ago with a three match unbeaten run that comprised of two wins: Darlington 5-0 and Bradford PA 3-0 at home and a scoreless draw at Curzon Ashton last Saturday. That came to a crashing end at home to Southport on Tuesday when the visiting side plonked three past them.

They’ll be without Kai Williams with an ankle injury while Dominic McHale is set for another scan on a groin injury picked up in January. Zac Lilly will also be out with an ankle injury while Ross White will be out injured too. Don’t be too surprised to see their manager, Paul Carden, bring in reinforcements before the game.

The really sad news though is the career ending condition that defender Arlen Birch is facing. He has been told that he won’t play for at least four years due to a bone growth issue in both of his heels that he has been trying to manage for several years. He can only be operated on one heel at a time and has to allow at least eighteen months for each operation to be successful.

Our thoughts are with Arlen and we hope that one day he’ll return to the game once more.

The former Harriers striker, Andre Wright, is now with Telford and has been since January. He hasn’t scored for them in the six games he’s played yet, surprisingly.

We should be at, more or less, full strength with Ethan Freemantle nearing the end of the treatment for the hamstring injury picked up at Hereford FC a few weeks back. Keziah Martin returned to the pitch as an extra time sub last week following the kick on the shin/knee at Kettering Town recently and Cliff Moyo is surely returning very soon now that he’s back in full training.

With this game coming soon after our FA Cup heroics, when every player gave it their all, it would be easy to say that minds wouldn’t be fully focussed but they know what’s at stake and they won’t be losing sight of that. With Telford having a bit of a new manager bounce and a slight rise in form they’ll be wanting a positive result themselves so it’s a game that’s going to be tough and could go either way.

As long as it’s our way. 

Photo © KHFC

Teams:

Harriers from:

Simpson, Emery, Richards, Cameron, Foulkes, Moyo, Penny, Preston, Bajrami, Lowe, Austin, Redmond, Lissimore, Montrose, Carrington, Martin, Freemantle, Bastable, Tolley, Hemmings, Morgan-Smith, J White, Sterling-James.

AFC Telford Utd from:

Griffiths, Streete, Bood, Sweeney, Jed Abbey, Shaw, Piggott, Nolan, Ward, Jez Abbey, Baker, Daniels, Goodridge, Oswell, Bower, Jarratt, Wright.

Referee: Mr Simeon Lucas. Blackburn

Shanes Opposition Stats Pack:

At home in the league: (P12, W4, D3, L5) Chorley 3-0, Hereford 0-0, Brackley 0-2, Farsley 2-0, Leamington 1-1, AFC Fylde 1-2, Kettering 2-2, Guiseley 0-1, Chester 1-3, Darlington 5-0, Bradford (PA) 3-0, Southport 0-3. 

Goals (all competitions): Oswell – 7, Daniels – 6, Williams – 5, Goodridge – 4, Durrell – 4 (left club), Streete – 3, McHale – 3, Byrne – 2, Baker – 1.

The streaks (league only):

Games since last win: 2

Games since last home win: 1

Games since last draw: 1

Games since last home draw: 5

Games since last defeat: 0

Games since last home defeat: 0

Games since last clean sheet: 1

Games since last home clean sheet: 1

The Squad (appearances are starts + sub, includes both league and cups):

Goalkeepers: Russell Griffiths (P21, conceded 36, 2 of which were penalties), George Scott (P0, on loan at Shifnal Town).

Defence: Brad Bood (P17), Zak Lily (P16), Jordan Piggott (P5, on loan from Solihull), Theo Streete (P21, 3 goals), Ross White (P23).

Midfield: Carl Baker (P6, 1 goal, missed 1 penalty), Mace Goodridge (P8, 4 goals), Patrick Jarrett (P2, on loan from Stoke City), Dominic McHale (P20, 3 goals), Liam Nolan (P5, on loan from AFC Fylde), Brayden Shaw (P5), Keaton Ward (P4, on loan from Mansfield).

Attack: Harry Bower (P1), Brendon Daniels (P11, 6 goals, 1 of which was a penalty), Jason Oswell (P26, 7 goals), Kai Williams (P25, 4 goals), Andre Wright (P6).

The new manager Paul Carden came in from Warrington Town (Step 3) in November replacing Dennis Greene who in turn replaced Gavin Cowan. After occupying bottom place in the table all season, so far, they’ve just lifted themselves off the foot of the table, by one point.

Talk about the game here

Links to AFC Telford Utd websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here