It was a job that should have been done at the first time of asking at Aggborough on Saturday but our in-ability to break down a stubborn Braintree defence back fired big time. We now have to travel East on a cold Tuesday night and try to do the job properly this time.
Our task should be made easier because now the Iron daren't defend so deeply and this in turn will give our widemen a chance to get behind them. All it needs then is for Andy White and James Constable to be a bit sharper and we should be able to say that we have deserved to go through.
Jeff Kenna's doubtful for this re-match after being on the end of a fair, but crunching, tackle on Saturday. He staggered off near the end of the game and didn't look too good.
Nobody else seemed to have been in the wars in the first game and there is also talk of Iyseden Christie being fit but we mustn't get to confident about that rumour and accept the fact that it'll be Whitey up front again.
Gavin Hurren still has a bit of back trouble that's also affecting his leg and so he has an un-realistic chance of playing.
Our one big bonus is that Russ Penn will be back for us now that his penance has been served and his return could see Brian Smikle back on the bench. It'll be tough on Smikes because he's played his heart out in recent weeks and deserves a longer run in the side.
I think with Russ Penn back and, maybe Christie on the bench in case of emergency, then we should be able to see off the Iron this time.
As mentioned at the start we, hopefully, will be meeting Halifax in the next round so here's the full draw for the next round, quarter-final, below:
Teams:
Harriers from:
Bevan, S Taylor, Harkness, Kenna, Haworth, Creighton, Whitehead, McGrath, Sedgemore, Russell, Penn, Reynolds, Blackwood, McGhee, Smikle, Christie, Constable, White.
Braintree from:
Morgan, Burgess, Jones, Adedeji, Edwards, Quinton, Plummer, Hawes, Baker, Riddle, Porter, Good, Martin, Bailey, Bradshaw, Ofori, Brayley, Sullivan, Sutton, Harewood.
Links to Braintree websites 
