After a short enforced break, due to the cancellation of the home game against Darlington last weekend, we can now crack on with consolidating our place in the play-offs. During our gameless spell we expected to see clubs on the fringes overtake us but Lady Luck was on our side and Fleetwood, York, Darlington, Rushden and Grimsby all dropped points where they had been expected to take all three.Now, tomorrow with a noon kick off BTW, we'll be hoping to garner all three points from a Mansfield Town side with one eye on the Trophy Final against Darlington in May but no eyes on the play-offs. Saying that they did rob bottom placed Histon of all the points on Tuesday when they came back from being 2-0 down at half time to running out 3-2 winners with a hat trick from Louis Briscoe.
They could be without Danny Mitchley (groin), Dan Spence (hamstring) and Ashley Cain (dead leg) while Gary Silk (foot) and Kyle Nix (concussion) should both be fit. They have former Harriers Adam Murray playing for them and also a tenuous link to another former Harrier. Lewis Moult is on loan with them from Stoke City and he's the younger brother of Jake Moult (left) who some might say was never really with us anyway having never made an appearance.
There's no reason why we shouldn't be, almost, at full strength for the trip to Mansfield. Keith Briggs should have recovered from his recurring hamstring tweak so that leaves just the unfortunate Tom Sharpe who'll sit out the remainder of the season with a dislocated knee.
He does have the benefit of knowing that he should be offered a contract sometime next week and every Harriers fan will be hoping that he accepts it. This week we have already had Steve Burr and his assistant Gary Whild tie up their own futures with the club until Summer 2014 while Danny Lewis and Callum Gittings have accepted contracts extending for two years and one year respectively.
Hopefully another two important members of the squad will sign in the near future too. Matty Blair and Jack Byrne are 'must keeps' as far as us fans are concerned otherwise we might have to be resigned to losing them for nothing to other clubs. Personally I think there are only two players that should be released come the end of the season and I won't be telling on here.
We have also retained the services of Sean Canham for another month yesterday. That seems a strange move, the month I mean, because that will take us up to April 23rd meaning that he won't be here for the final two games of the season and not at all for the possible play-offs themselves. That could all change if this new month is extended once more but why not do it at the start?
As for the game itself tomorrow then I think we'll be extending our great run. Don't forget we came back from 3-0 down in the corresponding fixture last season to draw 3-3 and that kind of spirit, albeit with a different team now, continues with this one and I think we can get a similar result or even better.
Once our game's over all we need do is sit back and watch the rest slip up.
Photo © PAFC
Teams:
Harriers from:
Lewis, Stevens, Vaughan, Williams, Sharpe, Albrighton, Lowe, Griffiths, Byrne, Shaw, M Briscoe, McPhee, Briggs, Hankin, Morris, Wright, Blair, Matt, Gittings, Canham.
Mansfield from:
Marriott, Collett, Gróf, Silk, Sandwith, Foster, L Briscoe, Thompson, Nix, Smith, Moult, Naylor, Stonehouse, Preece, Istead, Spence, Connor, Higginson, Cain, O'Rafferty, Turner, Murray, Day, Mitchley.
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