The high pre-season hope from the fans is quickly diminishing as we can now see where the problems lie in midfield. It's been covered enough times on the message board that we really do need a playmaker in there but we have no-one on our books seemingly capable of doing such a job.
We didn't have one last season and we know what went wrong there and now this season seems to be repeating itself like Groundhog Day. Was Andy Ferrell bought in for this róle? because it doesn't seem to be the answer. Jon Munday could have been the answer but he too seems to be more of a traditional defender than creative artiste.
Against Stevenage Yates started the game with Jonny Harkness in midfield and we all know that wasn't the answer. Is the answer to use either Christie or Barnes-Homer in midfield to see how they get on. They are both players that seem to be aware of things going on around them and also both know what a good striker needs to do to be able to score. Is it worth a try?
For the game on Friday Ferrell was missing due to injury but Simon Russell did make an appearance, if only during the warm-ups, so he looks to be on his way back from injury. If there were any fresh injuries following the last game then the club haven't mentioned any yet.
Rushden are having a similar season to us so far but without the embarrassing scorelines. They do have one more point than us but they have also lost their last two games.
Yesterday (Saturday) they lost 3-2 at Torquay in a controversial game that saw Curtis Woodhouse sent off in the dying stages of the game after he took a penalty in-correctly? by stepping over the ball then hitting it after instead of hitting it first time. A yellow card was given and because he had already been carded it meant he had to go. Dean Howells took the penalty instead but it made no difference to the eventual result.
Because it was two yellows then Woodhouse will be free to play against us tomorrow.
Their previous defeat was a home one to Ebbsfleet by the single goal.
Rushden don't seem to have any injury problems and in fact have been busyish in the transfer market since the start of the season by bringing Andy Burgess and Martin Foster back to the club and releasing James Krause to Crawley.
I think we're all hoping for some kind of improvement tomorrow but wether we get one is a different matter. Surely the team know they can play better than they have been because we know they can.
Show us tomorrow then.
Teams:
Harriers from:
Bevan, Coleman, Harkness, Kenna, Bignot, Creighton, Whitehead, Munday, McGrath, Ferrell, Hurren, Russell, Penn, Richards, Blackwood, Barnes-Homer, Smikle, Christie, Constable.
Rushden from:
Bastock, Nicholls, Margarson, Osano, Gulliver, Hope, Hatswell, Challinor, Woodhouse, Jackson, Burgess, Foster, Rankine, Tomlin, Shaw, Kelly, Bolt, Beecroft, Lambley, Howell, Watson, Semple.
Links to Rushden & Diamonds websites 
