The Harriers face a long trip tomorrow when we compete with Barrow for a place in the 4th round of the FA Trophy. We have reached this stage by beating both Telford Utd and Ebbsfleet Utd in the previous rounds but this will be our first away game of the run so far. Barrow has always been a tough place to go and we haven't won a game there since March 1999.On our last visit there last season we earned a 1-1 draw with an early goal from Reece Styche when he capitalised on a sleepy Barrow defence to slip the ball under the keeper in the fifth minute of the game. We couldn't build on that goal with our poor team but bravely held out for the draw thanks to two penalty saves from Alex Palmer (left) in his first loan spell with us. Alex is back with us again now but we don't want any penalties this time just an easier passage into the next round.
To aid our progress we'll hopefully be back at full strength and Zaine Francis-Angol available after he missed the Nuneaton win last Saturday with a slight knock. Josh Ezewele deputised again admirably for him and should do so again if called on. We should have no other injury problems to deal with.
Barrow had been on a good run up until the Christmas period going on a twenty six game unbeaten run extending from the end of August until New Years Eve when they finally lost a game, 4-1 at Gateshead. Since then they have become an average side with defeats at home to Rochdale (FA Cup) and Southport with a win at home to Cup heroes Lincoln and a battling draw against FGR last Saturday. Their progress into this round of the Trophy was achieved with a 3-2 win at home to Matlock Town.
They'll be without one of their hotshots tomorrow after Byron Harrison picked up a bad ankle injury against Lincoln and will be out for a couple of weeks but they have just bought in Shaun Tuton on loan from Barnsley yesterday evening for the remainder of the season. Tuton formerly played for Halifax. They'll also be without new signing Inih Effiong due to the former Biggleswade striker being cup tied but also has an ankle injury anyway so wouldn't have played anyway.
The forecast for the area this weekend is pretty decent for the time of the year so, although it pitch could be a little heavy, there's little chance of it being called off. Personally I think we would be doing well to win this first time round and it could go to a replay but although we could cope with a nice little cup run we can't be doing with a back log of games building up.
Photo © KHFC
Teams:
Harriers from:
T Palmer, A Palmer, Hancocks, Ezewele, Lowe, T Williams, Carter, Knights, Osborne, Evans, Thomas, Tunnicliffe, Francis-Angol, Croasdale, Gnahoua, Truslove, Austin, A Brown, McQuilkin, N'Gwatala, Taylor, Dieseruvwe, Waite.
Barrow from:
Dixon, Coughlin, Flatt, Beeley, Anderton, Parry, Livesey, Diarra, Haworth, Harvey, Bennett, Hannah, J Williams, Panayiotou, Newby, Meikle, Turnbull, Tuton, Hughes, Rowe, Yates, Wright, Anderson.
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