13-04-18 – Preview – Harriers Vs Tamworth

With just four games to go until the end of the proper season the Harriers will be hoping for maximum points from all four. With up coming games against Spennymoor Town, North Ferriby and Bradford Park Avenue, to end with, this one on Saturday against struggling Tamworth is just as important and just as difficult with Tamworth fighting to avoid the drop especially with them only having three games left to play.

Ironically it’s us that could see them relegated and if that was the case, and we fail to get promoted, then we could lose a local derby next season. With AFC Telford also hovering round and about the drop zone too we could end up with just Nuneaton and Leamington as our nearest games. It would also mean that our Christmas games next season could possibly be against Chester FC. Even more reason to get promoted then.

Following our brilliant 3-1 home win against Stockport County on Tuesday evening we should be well prepared for what is to come. Three well taken goals in that game saw us beat the in-form side of the moment and more of that clinical finishing might see us repeat the 6-0 defeat that we inflicted on Tamworth in the corresponding game last season.

We’ll still be without Lee Vaughan for the game but it’ll be the last one that he’ll miss with his suspension completed. Dan Bradley was taken off as a precaution on Tuesday after he felt a twinge in his knee following his second half goal so hopefully it’s not too serious and he isn’t out again for another long spell. Joel Taylor is the only known doubt but he must be due back any day soon.

After starting the season well, and beating us at the Lamb in September, Tamworth have been in a deep decline that peaked a few weeks ago when their manager Andy Morrell was sacked and in came Mike Fowler, brother of former Harrier Lee Fowler. Lee is now his brothers right hand man but neither seem to be working any kind of miracle. So far Fowlers record has been poor with one win, three drawn and seven lost. Not much better than Alan Pardew at West Brom then.

There are a ruck of other Harriers with Tamworth too: Luke Jones, Tom Shaw, Darryl Knights, Aman Verma, Akwasi Asante and Dior Angus are all there so it should be quite a reunion at Aggborough before the game.

We know that we have had some big scores at home to Tamworth in recent seasons but we also know that they beat us at the Lamb in September so they’ll be thinking that they have a chance to do the double over us. We have to make sure that they don’t.

Teams:

Harriers from:

Hall, N Vaughan, Palmer, J Taylor, Horsfall, O’Connor, Digie, Pearson, Croasdale, Truslove, Weeks, Austin, Bradley, A Brown, Sonupè, McQuilkin, N’Gwatala, Ironside, Waring.

Tamworth from:

Evans, Jezeph, Stevens, Aldhouse, Burns, Jones, Kettle, Lane, Morley, Upton, Ricketts, Sharpe, Donohue, Fox, Pegg, C Shaw, T Shaw, Davies, C Taylor, Verma, Asante, Angus, Hayden, Knights, Powell, Steer. 

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

Links to Tamworth websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here