15-09-17 – Preview – FA Cup 2nd Qual Rd – Deeping Rangers Vs Harriers

The Harriers take a break from their miserable league season tomorrow when they journey across to Market Deeping in Lincolnshire to play the local side Deeping Rangers in the 2nd rd of the qualifying stages of the FA Cup (the actual trophy will be on show at the game too if you want to be photographed with it). 

Rangers play in the United Counties Premier League in Step 5 of the pyramid system (we’re Step 2) and sit in sixth place at the present time having played six games and winning four of them. They entered the FA Cup right at the very start back at the beginning of August and beat local side Peterborough Northern Star 3-2. They then came up against Barton Rovers and Brocton FC in the following rounds winning 2-1 and 4-2 respectively with all three games being played away from home.

Now in the first home game of this cup campaign they come up against us and they’re looking forward to it. Having been following their social media outlets since we were drawn out of the hat together it’s been heartwarming to see a club so eager to share information and involve the fans. Nothing is too much trouble for them and you get the impression that if, as expected by many, this is to be their last game in this seasons cup run then they will have enjoyed every minute of it. If they do win then you could never hold a grudge if they were to celebrate deep into the night.

Whereas if we were to lose it would be un-thinkable, un-bearable and the end of the world as we know it.

Hopefully we’ll be going into this game in a more positive frame of mind than we did at Tamworth on Tuesday evening when we gave away two poorly defended goals to give the home side their first win over us in eight years. Up front we were no better with our only two shots on target coming late in the second half. Yes, we have key players missing at the moment but there’s no excuse for us to lose against a part time team that last season we hammered into next week.

James McQuilkin returned to the starting side on Tuesday after a short while out injured while Joe Ironside got onto the bench following his rest period. We have been told that Dan Bradley and Liam Truslove are still out injured but no real information as to what exactly is wrong with them. Ryan Croasdale might be back from compassionate leave after going through some personal problems.

No doubt we’ll be resting Ironside and others on Saturday once more and that’ll make it fun trying to fill all seven places on the bench.

Four really, really interesting facts connected with Deeping. Did you know that the seats that you may, or may not, be sat on tomorrow once graced the old Coventry City stadium at Highfield Road? If they’re the ones from the old West End then I might already have been sat on one of them. Spooky!

When we enter their ground tomorrow just take a moment to look closely at the turnstile you’re struggling to get through. Why? Because it came from the old Wembley Stadium prior to it’s demolition.

Their record crowd was, until tomorrow, 635 for the visit of Rushden & Diamonds in an FA Cup tie at the same stage of the competition in 2015.

The final amazing fact that has more to do with us than Deeping is that just down the road at RAF Wittering was the home of the Harrier Jump Jet. Is that a spooky fact, a co-incidence or just plain irrelevant?

Whatever the facts are the one fact is that we cannot come back to Aggborough for a replay on Tuesday evening after struggling to hold them to a draw. We have to do this first time of asking. 

STOP PRESS: We have signed a new defender, James Pearson, who should be available to play at Deeping.

Teams:

Harriers from:

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

Deeping Rangers from:

Bircham, Stainsby, Ward, Clay, Waumsley, Hunnings, Smith, Barrand, Flack, Schiavi, Avis, Coulson, Hockin, Kilbride, Simpson, Dunn, Marsden, Burton-Jones, Coupland, Mooney. 

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

Links to Deeping Rangers websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here