This is the game that we have all been waiting for, and waiting with some trepidation.    It's the first game since the Harriers manager, Mark Yates, was awarded the Manager of the Month accolade and it's also a potential banana skin if we don't get it right this time.

We'll never forget how, the time these two teams first met a few weeks ago, we had a 3-0 lead and failed to hold onto it.    We cringed at the way Vauxhall got a goal back just before the interval and we hoped that the ground would open up and suck us down to oblivion as they eventually matched us by four goals to four.

Let's not take it away from Vauxhall though, they came with a plan to hold us to a draw but saw that backfire.    They then made a new plan to get back into the game and they managed that too.    We just under estimated them.

Now we have it all to do again.

At least we have the extra incentive of travelling to St James Park, Exeter for round two next Saturday on January 13th.    A game that with our recent good form should be winnable.

We will be missing the services of Michael Blackwood for this game after he went off against Cambridge Utd with a hamstring injury.    It didn't look too bad but it makes sense not to risk him too soon and we do have Brian Smikle or Michael McGrath to fall back on.

Iyseden Christie will also play now that he has joined the club permanently, on an eighteen month contract, and he'll be hoping to get on the scoresheet, not having scored since the first game against our hosts.

Vauxhall have no team news, tell me something new, but they did have their keeper Sean Lake sent off in their last game at home to Droylsden.    Unlike the rest of football, where guilty players miss the next game, in the Conference North it doesn't take effect until two weeks later.    His one match ban will be from January 9th.

I think we'll get it right this time and progress to the next round for the visit to Exeter.    I also think that this Manager of the Month curse could have some foundation.


Harriers from:
Bevan, S Taylor, Harkness, Kenna, Haworth, Creighton, Whitehead, McGrath, Sedgemore, Hurren, Russell, Penn, Reynolds, Blackwood, B Taylor, Smikle, Christie, Constable, White, Davies.

Vauxhall from:
Lake, Jones, Dittmer, Addo, Dames, Duffy, Field, Furlong, Garrity, Griffiths, Lawless, McMahon, McNulty, Martindale, Moogan, Ness, Rooney, Spellman, Thomas, Whittaker, Williams, Woodyatt, Wright.