With a long overdue win under their belts the Harriers now venture forth to Cambridge in an effort to close the gap on a side undergoing the same kind of slump in form as we are. Before Christmas Cambridge were some seven points clear of the leading pack even though they weren't recording many convincing wins. Now, in recent weeks, even those narrow single goal victories have dried up at the same time that Luton have surged into a fourteen point gap above them with an apocalyptic scoring rate.We, ourselves, were victims of the Luton scoring machine that led indirectly to the dismissal of Steve Burr and the recruiting of Andy Thorn in his place. Gone is the gung ho attacking philosophy of Burr to be replaced with an all defensive set up as favoured by Thorns Wimbledon of the seventies and that fact alone will be a worry for the many Harriers fans off to Cambridge expecting a goal fest between two sides that struggle to score one at the best of times.
That lack of goals for the U's was one of the factors behind their 1-0 defeat at Braintree on Tuesday evening and also at home to Alfreton a couple of weeks ago. They bought in the former Harrier Matt Barnes-Homer in the January transfer period but he's been a flop and hardly had a look in and yesterday they re-called Delano Sam-Yorke back from his loan at Lincoln City but he is reported to be injured so may not face us anyway.
Two others who could be out for them will be Tom Elliott and Ashley Chambers with a virus while Adam Cunnington (groin injury) and Harrison Dunk (knee ligaments) are both long term injury victims.
We will have defender Lee Vaughan back from his two match suspension so that could mean a minor problem for Thorn in deciding what to do with Danny Jackman following his two games covering for Lee. He had been playing at left back in place of Mickey Demetriou while he covered for an out of favour Chey Dunkley but now Dunks is back and Mickey has gone back to his usual position it seems that option is no longer available. He could replace Josh O'Keefe in midfield and personally I would play him there for his better passing ability and his fight for the cause. Something we have yet to see from the former Hereford man.
Also possibly back could be the former Cambridge striker Michael Gash (right). He's been out for a few weeks with a minor hamstring injury and is being touted by Thorn to be back at some point tomorrow. If he does I feel he'll be on the bench in favour of Amari Morgan-Smith following his three crucial goals over the last two games. It would be unfair on AMS to drop him right now.
A win at Cambridge could see the Reds climb back into the play off places on goal difference but I'm not holding my breath. With both sides now both seen as defensive minded teams a hatful of goals from either side looks very unlikely so I'll go for a somewhat tedious scoreless draw.
Photo © KHFC
Teams:
Harriers from:
Lewis, N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Grimes, Dunkley, Demetriou, Gowling, Storer, O'Keefe, Jackman, Byrne, Johnson, Riis, Malbon, Morgan-Smith, Cieslewicz, Rowe, Aloi, Ladapo, Gittings, Gash.
Cambridge Utd from:
Sullivan, Norris, Roberts, G Taylor, Coulson, Bonner, Miller, Donaldson, Champion, Elliott, Tait, Pugh, Austin, Hughes, Berry, Chambers, Arnold, Bird, B-J Taylor, Sam-Yorke, Hancock, Gillies, Barnes-Homer.
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