25-09-23. Kidderminster Harriers Vs Oldham Athletic. Match preview

Preview: Phil Lench

Will we be facing more of the same at Aggborough tomorrow evening for this big game against Oldham Athletic or will Russ Penn actually bite the bullet that’s been aimed at his head since the start of the season. Will he rip up the non working gameplan of five at the back with wing backs and go instead with a back four and two true wingers. Have we actually got the squad for that?

On Saturday at Eastleigh FC we, for once, started slightly better than in recent weeks and went into the lead with something of a dubious penalty – scored by Gerry McDonagh. One up and job done. That was what the team seemed to be thinking and so allowed the hosts back into the game and Paul McCallum grabbing two great goals to take the points.

Oldham will be a different kettle of fish to Eastleigh being another ex League club and with far better players at their disposal than we usually come up against. On Saturday they beat Oxford City 4-0 at home having beaten York City 2-0 last Tuesday. Both games were at home and their away form isn’t so good but since David Unsworth was sacked before the York game they’ve looked a better side under caretaker manager Steve Thompson.

We last came up against them in a FA Cup game back in 2012 (previous to that was in 1907 but not many of us remember that now) and on that day they beat us easily with a side that contained James Tarkowski now with Everton, Jose Baxter who also played for Everton and Christian Montaño now playing for Livingston FC in Scotland.

We’ll still be without Shane Byrne and Matt Preston while Jack Lambert was missing on Saturday and could be missing again for this game. On Friday Bailey Hobson was bought in on a month long loan, possibly to cover his absence, meaning that Jack could be out for a while. I don’t think we have any other injuries.

Do I expect us to win this game and hopefully climb up the table? No I don’t but I think we could get a draw seeing as we’ll be going with five at the back again. 

Photo © KHFC

Referee: Mr David Richardson. Halifax

Talk about the game here

Links to Oldham Athletic websites here

Find Pubs around Kidderminster here