15-09-23. Kidderminster Harriers Vs Solihull Moors. Match preview

Preview: Phil Lench

You would have thought that two teams so close to each other would have met up before but, no, this will be the first time that we’ve ever played Solihull Moors in anger. We’ve played their two components: Moor Green and Solihull Borough, many a time but since they merged in 2007 to form this iteration we have only played them in a friendly back in 2018 when we beat them 3-0 at Damson Park.

Now we finally come together as members of the National League and hopefully we’ll come out on top again. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for that though due to the game being televised with a later kick off than usual.

Last Saturday we came close to getting only our second win of the season, yet again, when we actually took the lead early in the game at home to Rochdale AFC only for them to equalise late on in the second half. We had many chances to increase the lead given to us by a Joe Leesley superstrike but once again we spurned them and that was even after Russ Penn continually telling us via video that we look sharp in training and the goals will start coming.

At least that game was the best that we have played this season and at times we looked quite good. Quite good but not there just yet.

The Moors sit in third place in the table and they’re the only side to have retained their unbeaten record so far. Their defence is also tough having given away only eight goals – the same as the Harriers – but they’re far better than us on the scoring front having grabbed fifteen goals to our measly three. 

We won’t have their former defender, Matt Preston, back playing following the injury he picked up at our game at York City (that was our only three points so far) he still has a while to go before reporting back ready for duty while Moors will have our former loan defender, Kyle Morrison, appearing for them after he turned us down to join them. Maybe he’s made the correct decision so far.

In fact Kyle is the only former Harrier to play for them now. Bit of a difference when you see who played for them in the season that friendly was played: Tyrone Williams, Liam Daly, Jermaine Hylton, Kyle Storer, Dan Sweeney, Jordan Murphy, Luke Maxwell and Danny Wright were all there back then.

We should have no other injuries, apart from Shane Byrne that is, and with this game being broadcast to the the nation, and the world, then we really do need to show them how good we can be. Wouldn’t that be great to show that we’re here to stay. 

Photo © KHFC

Referee: Mr Aaron Jackson. Liverpool

Talk about the game here

Links to Solihull Moors websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here