28-10-22. Match preview Vs Banbury Utd

Preview: Phil Lench

After searching for the answer to our poor form for most of the month Russ Penn finally found it in his back pocket. Reaching round for his fags he found a slip of paper instead and on it was written ‘Recipe for Plan B: play two up front and stick some wingers on’.

He did just that at home to Chorley FC on Tuesday evening and the difference was there for all to see. We played with far more urgency and took the game to the visitors while upfront we had two strikers playing off each other and getting onto the end of numerous crosses into the box. It was a surprise that we only scored one goal.

Now we have to wait and see if he goes with the same formation and line-up again at Banbury Utd tomorrow.

That should see starts for both Ethan Freemantle and Amari Morgan-Smith with Gabby Rogers out wide. Yusifu Ceesay and Jack Bearne might come on late on to give us an extra surge and hopefully clinch the game for us. There’s no one expected back from injury yet so what we saw against Chorley is what we should get at Banbury.

The Puritans had a brilliant season last year and finished top of the Southern League Central by a clear twenty three points from nearest contenders Peterborough Sports. Both teams got promoted but it’s Banbury who have settled into the higher level better. They sit in eighth place right now and in alphabetical order above us so this game’s something of a six pointer.

They have been struggling slightly of late though with the last three games ending in defeat. The last win for them came at home to Scarborough Athletic on September 24th. Then again if it wasn’t for the win the other evening then that day would have seen our last league win too when we came away from Kettering Town victorious.

The game tomorrow will mark just over forty years since we last played each other after going head to head regularly in the old Southern League since 1945. 

No injury news from them but we do have a former Harrier (two actually) there with Kelvin Langmead seeing out his career with them. He hasn’t made an appearance yet this season but was an un-used sub on the bench a few weeks back. So who’s the other former Harrier?

That’ll be the manager Andy Whing then. He was with us as the U23’s manager in 2018 but left to join the coaching squad at Hereford FC. He joined up with Banbury in May 2020 along with another former Red as his righthand man, James Constable. Since then he’s not looked back.

As for this game? Well if we go with Plan B then we have a very good chance. Now where did Russ put that piece of paper?

Teams:

Harriers from:

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

Banbury Utd from:

Harding, Taylor, S Brown, Dugmore, Hickman, Langmead, Roberts, Williams, Acquaye, Babos, Dabre, Hewitt, Radcliffe, Hawtin, Rasulo, Reilly, Smile, Landers, Spasov, Stevens.

Referee: Mr Jamie O’Connor. Chesterfield

Talk about the game here

Links to Banbury Utd websites here

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