It's to be hoped that the team will be a bit more up for this game than they were against Chester City last Saturday. That shocking one goal defeat to the fellow strugglers was just like watching a dire end of season bore draw.
For a team that are fighting for their lives at the foot of the table that kind of attitude to a game was in-excusable. The boss, Stuart Watkiss, gave them yet another bawling following the game but he can't keep on being forced to do that. They have just got to get it through their thick heads that survival is ultimately down to them, not the manager, not the board and definitely not the fans.
A good chance to change their ways comes in this game at Shrewsbury. Games at the Salopians ground, Gay Meadow, are always tough and very rarely go our way due to the heavy condition of the ground. I can't see us being allowed to play the passing game, not that we do much anyway, and mount fast raids down the wings.
This'll be a game for big strong lads and to that end Stuart has bought in Mark Jackson from Scunthorpe. This tall centre half will give the defence some much needed height and hopefully make us less liable to give away stupid goals.
Jackson has failed to force his way back into a Scunthorpe side chasing promotion this season after spending most of last season out of the side due to having two operations on his ankles. He has made only the one full appearance this season spending the remainder as a regular bench warmer.
Still on the subject of personnel on the move an intended target for Watkiss was Wayne Corden. The Mansfield winger was in a tug of war between ourselves and Scunthorpe but has now elected to join the Iron on a eighteen month contract, something we weren't prepared to offer him. We couldn't offer him a guaranteed place in the Football League either.
Two more of our players have been told that they can leave the club as soon as they find new clubs. Jamie Gleeson and Chris McHale are the latest in addition to Abdou Sall and Steve Burton who were told that they could go two weeks ago.
Burton is the only one attracting attention so far but he's being a bit fussy about where he's going. He's already turned down loan offers from Worcester City and now he's turned down a chance to join the giants of Northern football, Accrington Stanley. He's holding out for their smaller neighbours, Blackburn Rovers, to come asking.
For the game against the Shrews we expect to be without Gary Birch after he aggravated his knee injury against Chester and had to be replaced by Blair Sturrock at half time. He'll probably be rested for this game and Blair will take his place.
Also supposedly lined up is Iyseden Christie. Now back in full time training he's being pencilled in for his return, debut?, in this game and if he does he'll be on the bench so he can memorise a few faces before being let loose.
Dean Keates is still doubtful after missing last week with a shoulder injury, Wayne Hatswell and Lee Jenkins took knocks against City but should be fit.
Shrewsbury have been on a bit of a revival in the past month and are finally starting to see light between themselves and the stragglers at the bottom, us. They'll be looking for maximum points to make safety a certainty but will still be expecting a tough game.
They appear to have no injuries, apart from long term injury Ben Smith, and will be putting out a full strength side. That side will include Kelvin Langmead who was at Aggborough on loan during the early part of the season. He's only scored once for them, against Chester, but he seems to have become a firm favourite with their fans.
So are we all going to troop up to Shrewsbury to see a fighting performance that'll go some way to keeping us safe or will we witness another massacre like the one when we lost 4-0 three seasons ago.
We'll have the first option please.
Teams
Harriers from:
Danby, Lewis, Burton, Mullins, Jones, Sall, Weaver, Bennett, Jackson, Hatswell, McHale, Beardsley, McGrath, Jenkins, Keates, Cozic, Gleeson, Sturrock, Birch, Christie, Foster, Russell.
Shrewsbury from:
Howie, Moss, Challis, Tolley, Tinson, Ridler, Sedgemore, Rodgers, Ashton, Aiston, O'Connor, Whitehead, Smith, Lowe, Darby, Edwards, Grant, Street, Hart, Stevens, Walton, Murray, Clampitt, Langmead, Lyng.
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