If we need even more incentive to win this televised game then that should surely come from an endeavour to bounce back from that catastrophic result against York City in the FA Cup at the weekend. The win for City saw them paired against Rotherham in the next round in a game that would have been no big earner for us but one that could have been winnable (says he on the back of a shoddy York game).
Southport, on the other hand, had a harder game than us in beating Wrexham away and their reward is totally deserved with Sheffield Wednesday arriving at Haig Avenue next Saturday and a TV deal worth £67,500 between them. If they were to draw the reward could be even bigger with Wednesday regularly playing in front of average crowds of 17,500.
With a bit of luck Ports thoughts will be on FA Cup dreams and not the visit of the Harriers. It's doubtful though and we must also treat this game with respect and get one over on them.
We'll be without Ollie Thorne now, in addition to the already suspended Aaron Griffiths, after he was sent off against York to earn himself a three game ban. Griffiths will be serving the final installment of his ban but probably wouldn't have played anyway with Mike Williams now back to full fitness.
We'll also be without Keith Briggs when he aggravated his hamstring injury last Saturday after being removed from the game at Kettering the previous weekend. Steve Burr won't be risking his captain again and will now give him a decent lay off period as will the rest of the team because we won't be playing again until the visit of Rushden on November 9th. Jack Byrne should be back for us though to give us that bite in midfield that we missed without him.
Southport also have a man suspended but only for one game. Midfielder Alan Moogan picked up his fifth booking at the Racecourse Ground and will miss out as will defender, Shaun Gray, who'll be out with ligament damage.
It's going to be a big ask to stop Southport doing the double over us but we must respond in a positive way to last Saturdays debacle. It can be done and I'm hoping it will. Don't forget that if you can't get to the game then you can watch it in the Harriers Arms on the big screen.
Teams:
Harriers from:
Lewis, Stevens, Vaughan, Mike Williams, Sharpe, Albrighton, Byrne, Shaw, Briscoe, McPhee, Hankin, Morris, Wright, Blair, Gittings, Marc Williams.
Southport from:
Dickinson, McMillan, Flynn, Collins, Winn, Simm, Lever, Price, Lloyd, Morley, Davis, Ellis, Lee, Blakeman, McGinn, McNeil, Powell, Barratt, Marsh-Evans, R Williams, Daly, T Gray.
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