Harriers go into a crucial spell with the Easter games against Darlington tomorrow and Mansfield at home on Monday. This traditional make or break weekend could go either way for us with first up a tough game at Darlington.
For them, Darlington are having a comparatively good season seeing as they aren't struggling at the foot of the table like us. The difference to previous seasons is amazing and they now sit nicely in sixth place in the table and will be hoping for another three points against us.
With our improved form of late, five games unbeaten, we'll be hoping for a result too and we have shown that when asked we can turn in the results away from home. Just ask Cambridge and Notts County.
For this game we have an almost full squad to choose from and the only doubts are Lee Jenkins who came off against Rushden last week with a re-currence of his knee injury and Ian Foster with the same complaint. Both Reuben Hazell and Iyseden Christie played in the reserves game against Nuneaton on Wednesday evening and came through without any problems.
Also making his comeback in that game, following his cartilage op, was Gary Birch. None of those three are expected to start against Darlo but Christie may be on the bench.
Also not making a start will be our deadline day signing Adam Chambers. Although un-injured he does lack a bit of match practise so will be used more nearer to the end of the season as cover for Tom Bennett maybe?.
Bennett will also miss the game up North as he serves the final bit of his two game ban for his ten bookings.
Darlington have a handful of injuries and will be without quite a few key players.
Some of those players came in at the start, and during, the season and the likes of Clyde Wijnhard, Alun Armstrong, Craig Hignett, Curtis Fleming and Bobby Petta took everyone by surprise. Fans of other clubs questioned where the money was coming from considering they were in danger of going bankrupt at times when George Reynolds was there.
Petta and Hignett will be missing due to injury and Craig Liddle, Jonathan Hutchinson and Stephen Thomas are all out with long term injuries. David McGurk, Jonjo Dickman and Ryan Valentine are all doubtful and Wijnhard is out following his red card against Yeovil recently.
At the same time that we were signing Adam Chambers they also had some new faces joining their side. Akpo Sodje, brother of the infamous Efe, has come in from Huddersfield where he scored regularly in their reserve side without ever making the first team.
Also signing for them yesterday was Matthew Bates, coming in from local Premiership side Middlesborough. He too has never made a first team appearance for Boro but has featured on the bench a couple of times.
A familiar name will be lining up for Darlo. Matt Appleby is the younger brother of ex Harrier Richie and signed from Oldham a couple of weeks ago.
Have we really got a chance at Darlo? We spoiled their party when we helped them christen their new stadium by beating them 2-0 with goals from Danny Williams and Andy Bishop in front of 11,500 fans.
Tomorrow they open a new stand and we're going to spoil the party again.
Teams
Harriers from:
Danby, Lewis, Burton, Mullins, Jones, Chambers, Sall, Weaver, Jackson, Hatswell, McHale, Beardsley, McGrath, Jenkins, Keates, Cozic, Gleeson, Sturrock, Christie, Rawle, Birch, Simon Russell.
Darlington from:
Price, Sam Russell, Valentine, Clarke, Wainwright, Clark, Keltie, Convery, Gregorio, Craig Russell, McGurk, Kendrick, Hughes, Coghlan, Armstrong, Mason, Maddison, Parkin, Logan, Fleming, Close, Webster, St'Juste, Dickman, Gilroy, Appleby.
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