Match preview Vs Lincoln City

It could be back to the drawing board for the Harriers manager, Steve Burr, tomorrow evening when we travel to Lincoln to reacquaint ourselves with Sincil Bank.  We last went there in October 2004 when we failed to turn up and lost 3-0 in a gutless performance that was just one defeat on the way to the dismissal of Jan Molby the second time around.  The hapless Stuart Watkiss took over three weeks later and relegated us into the Conference.

Saturdays opening day defeat at home to Gateshead was far from expected and the way we allowed the Tynesiders to take control of the game during a diabolical second half should serve as a wake up call for players that say they're up for it before the season starts but on the day go missing.

The only bright spark on the pitch was Nick Wright, he scored our opening goal, but during the second period he was just as guilty as the others.  Some say he didn't look match fit but he's played in all of the pre-season friendlies and scored four times into the bargain.  How fit do you need to be?

We'll be without Jack Byre for the game as he serves the third game of his five game ban from last season.  Both Michael Briscoe and Jack Cresswell will miss out too with Briscoe recovering from an operation while Cresswell has a slight hamstring pull.  We should have no other injuries following Saturday.

Lincoln, who managed to get themselves banished down to the Blue Square at the end of the season, will be wanting to pick up where they left off seven years ago and also to build on their opening day draw at Southport.  Sam Smith, formerly of Rushden, and the ex Tamworth thug striker Kyle Perry got their goals but Southport struck back to equalise both times and share the spoils.

They have a handful of doubts in the squad with Andy Hutchinson and Frances Laurent missing the game with minor knocks while Jamie Taylor has a back injury and will face a fitness test before the game.

They also have the former Harrier Simon Russell playing for them now after he departed Cambridge Utd during the close season.

This is going to be a tough game to start our away season with and we'll need to be on our mettle a damned sight more that we were against Gateshead.  I think we'll have learnt by our mistakes in that game and a focussed draw would do us the world of good.


Harriers from:
Lewis, Lyness, Vaughan, Mike Williams, Sharpe, Jones, Demetriou, Phelan, Marshall, Storer, Vincent, Hankin, Guinan, Wright, Thompson-Brown, Matt, Gittings, Marc Williams, Medley.

Lincoln from:
Anyon, Lindberg, Nutter, Watts, Gowling, Hone, Taylor, Power, Perry, Fuseini, Laurent, Sinclair, Smith, Russell, Nicolau, Barraclough, Hutchinson, O'Keefe, Wilson, McCallum.

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