The Harriers would have been facing a long trip up to Gateshead tomorrow morning but instead they're now facing a long trip to Gateshead today. They have also been offered the chance to train at Newcastle Utd's training complex too so hopefully they'll be in tip top condition to face Gateshead tomorrow afternoon and boy do they need it.With only one point on the board so far this new season we'll be wanting to at least double that at the International Stadium against a side that so far have gained nine points from a possible twelve with their only defeat coming at home to Tranmere (1-4) in their second game of the season.
Last Tuesday we were given a harsh lesson by Wrexham. That lesson in how play the game on the grass and how to harry teams into submission was a good one and it was only after the Reece Styche sending off did we learn their lesson and applied the same thought processes to ourselves. This is what we need to apply from the off tomorrow.
As mentioned it'll have to be done without Styche who will be serving a one match ban for his retaliation on Manny Smith. Gurjit Singh (right) was bought on to fill the gap left and did admirably well so in my book should get the chance to start the game but no doubt Gary Whild will 'confound us all' and play Craig Reid from the start. And up front by himself to boot. And probably out wide too!
We could have Kelvin Langmead back for the game although that was also mentioned before the Wrexham game and he never appeared. If he does return from his ankle injury I hope that new signing Andrew Fox isn't the one sacrificed to make way for Lathaniel Rowe-Turner to return to the left back position because he had a really solid debut for us. My choice would be to leave LRT where he is and drop Jordan Tunnicliffe to the bench instead but that's never going to happen.
Gateshead will be without the services of James Marwood after he broke his wrist in a pre-season friendly game at Harrogate. He is on the mend but will not be risked to play against us. Also doubtful is Matty Pattison who was injured in pre-season too.
We always knew we had been given a tough start to the season but even so you still want to get something from every game that you play. I really do hope that we can get something at Gateshead but I fear that the loss of Styche will transpire against us and that will not not be helped by the inevitable team selection fáux pàs.
Photo © KHFC
Teams:
Harriers from:
Palmer, Snedker, Hodgkiss, Rowe-Turner, Green, Fox, J Clarke, Jones, Maxwell, Langmead, Tunnicliffe, Taylor, Verma, Reffell, Sweeney, Reid, Campbell, Dawson, Dinsley, Hales, Singh, Wright.
Gateshead from:
Russell, MacDonald, Baxter, Pattison, Chandler, Curtis, B Clark, Marwood, Ramshaw, Shaw, Gillies, Phillips, Buddle, Allen, Cranston, Kanda, Bowman, Johnson, Ramsden, Hailes, McLaughlin
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