21-10-22. Match preview Vs Southport

Preview: Phil Lench

Following our exit from the FA Cup, at the hands of AFC Fylde on Tuesday evening, we can now all look forwards to a remaining season of out and out concerted effort to gain promotion via winning the title. Promotion has to be the Harriers main aim and this game at home to Southport is an ideal chance to get that back on track.

Our recent results haven’t met the high standards that we, the fans, have come to expect and neither have they met Russ Penns. Although his hands have been tied with our terrible injury list we should still have had enough strength in depth to cope. That has shown with the way Tom Leak has come in for Alex Penny at full back but it’s in other areas that are not showing the same quality of cover.

Up front is the big worry on everyones’ minds and it still hasn’t been resolved as proved in both the Fylde games where our first choice striker is sat on the bench once again while we play with a wideman in the centre and a central striker out wide or something like. Yes, Yusifu Ceesay does score in that position but it’s not over a ninety minute period and for most of the time he’s looking out of place and out of depth.

I’ll say it again but we either need to start with Amari Morgan-Smith or get into the loan market and bring in that big and bustling striker that we’re crying out for. Not to do so is folly.

Ethan Freemantle returned from injury at Fylde so should also be in contention but as for the other injured then the outlook is not so good. Penny will be out for at least two months with a hamstring injury. Both Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Joe Foulkes are still some way off. For Tom Owen-Evans he’s now back in full training but it’s still going to be a while before we see him starting and the same goes for Jack Tolley.  

Southport have been having a similar season to us and they sit just two points behind us in the table in thirteenth place – we’re in seventh – with the same number of wins, five, but they have one drawn game compared to our three. We also have a game in hand over them too.

Their injuries list is nowhere near as bad as ours with only the former Harriers striker? Nyal Bell out for the remainder of the season after he received an ACL injury against Bootle in pre-season. Their only other worry is a slight hamstring injury for Connor Heath but he’s expected to be fit.

Now surely following two disappointing results against Fylde, and a shocking home defeat to Farsley Celtic two weeks ago, we’re actually going to pull our fingers out and show us long suffering fans what this team is actually capable of? Or will it end in yet another defeat and the growing questions being asked about Russ Penn rising into a torrent.

UPDATE: Harriers sign young defender Joe Starbuck on loan from Sheffield Utd

Photo © KHFC

Teams:

Harriers from:

Palmer, Emery, Penny, Richards, Starbuck, Knight-Percival, Foulkes, Pearce, Margetson, Lowe, Bastable, Leak, Lissimore, Byrne, Brown, Owen-Evans, Burgess, Rogers, Martin, Freemantle, Tolley, Bearne, Hemmings, Morgan-Smith, Ceesay.

Southport from:

Mason, McMillan, Oliver, J Doyle, C Doyle, Anson, Evans, Woods, Munro, Archer, Walton, Heath, Quansah, Hmami, Vassallo, Watson, Bainbridge, Carberry, Carver, 

Referee: Mr Michael Crusham. Wigan

Talk about the game here

Links to Southport websites here

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