Once this game is out of the way we'll have Evesham in the Worcester Senior Cup on the 12th February with six home games through to the 6th March when we entertain Halifax Town in the League, two weeks after beating them (hopefully) in the Trophy.
Quite a run and quite an expensive run at that. At terrace prices that'll be £70 in three weeks to fork out but if you factor in travel cost savings into that then it could look like a bargain.
£70 to see the best team in the world - priceless.
Back to the game in hand. Mark Yates was recently given the Manager of the Month award for the second consecutive month but some might say that the FGR manager, Jim Harvey was also deserving of the award for taking his side to one of their best runs in recent years with them winning all four games in January. They came back to earth at Crawley last Saturday when they lost 3-1 but you can't take it away from them that a four match unbeaten run from Forest Green was the last thing you would expect.
We might have Iyseden Christie and Gavin Hurren back for this game but they were supposed to be back for the game at Braintree the other night and failed to make it. Jeff Kenna and Simon Russell both went off injured the same night, Kenna with a re-currence of an injury he picked up a couple of weeks back and Russell got taken out by a couple of Cockerney heavies Darn Sarf and has multiple fractures to his tib and fib, three broken ribs and a dislocated neck. I'd be surprised if he plays then.
Russ Penn returned to the side in the Trophy win and Brian Smikle was dropped to the bench but I expect him to return in place of Scholesy with Jake Sedgemore taking over from Kenna.
Forest Green had two players sent off at Crawley, Lee Dodgson and Christopher Giles, and they will both miss three games apiece starting this Saturday. Darren Jones (hamstring), Alex Lawless (ankle) and Kevin Nicholson (hamstring) all missed last weeks game and could miss the game against us too if not fit.
Jim Harvey will want them back if at all possible otherwise he'll have a very depleted squad to put out against us. We'll be hoping it is a depleted squad because we then might get a better chance of beating them for the first time in seven games.
That's if the game's on.
Teams:
Harriers from:
Bevan, S Taylor, Harkness, Kenna, Haworth, Creighton, Whitehead, McGrath, Sedgemore, Hurren, Russell, Penn, Reynolds, Blackwood, McGhee, Smikle, Christie, Constable, White.
Forest Green from:
Harrison, Lawless, Nicholson, Jones, Pitman, Wanless, Clist, Rigoglioso, Brough, Hardiker, Afful, Beesley, Stonehouse, Williams, Carey-Bertram, Lamb, Robinson.