|
Oxford Utd (away ko 7:45pm)
Harriers travel to the Kassam Stadium for the first time ever today, then again it's also the first visit for every club in the league anyway.
The Kassam is a smart stadium with three failings:
- It's only got 3 sides.
- It's pricey to get into.
- They can only afford to have two sides open.
Yes, thats right, they can only open a side and an end because they can't afford the gate and stewarding staff!
Thats what comes of thinking you're a big city club and then finding yourself near the bottom of the 3rd Division.
Oxford are very similar to Swansea and Luton in that not so long ago they were in the 1st Division entertaining the likes of Wolves and Birmingham City now they are entertaining us.
And just like the above two teams plus Bristol Rovers they thought that promotion back to the 2nd would be a mere formality.
Of the four relegated teams at the end of last season only Luton seem to have adjusted.
May be next season.
Their form has been poor all season but they managed to collect their first maximum points two weeks ago when they beat Macclesfield 1-0 at the Moss Rose in front of a crowd of only 1,400.
Last Saturday they came back from Southend with a point in what many of their fans thought was their best display of the season.
Sods law. They are starting to play better and we turn up.
Oxford have just sold Phil Bolland to Chester City for 15K. He was one of the players who arrived at the same time as ex boss Mark Wright from Southport along with ex Harrier Ian Arnold.
Arnie only lasted a few days before he decided to join Morecambe instead.
Wright didn't last much longer, he was sacked after making, alleged, racist remarks to an official.
Oxford have no injuries to report and so their squad will be as follows.
Oxford (from);
Woodman, Morley, Crosby, Bound, Maddison, Stockley, Savage, Quinn, Whitehead, Powell, Moody, Scott, Knight, Richardson, Guyett, Thomas, Tait, Gray, Beauchamp, Omoyimni, McCaldon, Hatswell, Brooks.
We will be without Scott Stamps for the next two weeks.
Stamper was substituted at halftime on Saturday after struggling through most of the game.
He has been having back trouble in recent weeks and, along with a groin problem, is now taking it's toll.
Adie Smith after playing well there against Hartlepool and will probably take his place although it's Ian Joy's normal position.
The only other doubts could be Dean Bennett and Colin Larkin.
Deano has a thigh problem but should be fit and Larkin pulled up badly in the second half of Saturdays game but managed to run it off. He should also be fit.
Harriers (from):
Brock, Danby, Joy, Smith, Clarkson, Sall, Ayres, Hinton, Williams, Davies, Bennett, Doyle, Larkin, Broughton, Henriksen, Foster, Bird, Lewis.
THIS SEASONS RESULTS
|
25/9/01 |
Harriers |
Oxford Utd |
0-0 |
Chat about this preview here
|
