MotM: 28-02-26. Wealdstone (H) Kandola

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Moderators: harry211, harriershane, garthrockett

Harriers 1 Wealdstone 1 (5-6 pens)

Poll ended at Tue Mar 03, 2026 5:29 pm

Christian Dibble
0
No votes
Joe Foulkes
3
7%
Reece Devine
0
No votes
Emeka Obi
1
2%
Owen Evans
4
9%
Paul Kalambayi
5
12%
Kam Kandola
15
35%
Jack Clarke
3
7%
Ryley Reynolds
10
23%
Amari Morgan-Smith
0
No votes
George Walker
2
5%
Reece Hall
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 43
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Phil
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Going to penalties again.

Lucky we have a striker on the bench
Mirage Molby
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Really disappointed at the result, but they ran their socks off today. I can’t knock a single player, they gave it everything. We certainly weren’t outclassed by a tough, compact and energetic Wealdstone team. The first half was a good watch, the second half wasn’t, the game degenerated into a slugfest.

I feel for Owen Evans (the other penalties were brilliant). He had a great game and has been a class act ever since he put a Harriers shirt on.

Third place is still very possible. On to Tuesday..
Cyberia
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Mirage Molby wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:07 pm Really disappointed at the result, but they ran their socks off today. I can’t knock a single player, they gave it everything. We certainly weren’t outclassed by a tough, compact and energetic Wealdstone team. The first half was a good watch, the second half wasn’t, the game degenerated into a slugfest.

I feel for Owen Evans (the other penalties were brilliant). He had a great game and has been a class act ever since he put a Harriers shirt on.

Third place is still very possible. On to Tuesday..
No one could fault Harriers' commitment and application this afternoon. It was a real team effort, they certainly matched Wealdstone and ,the goal apart, nullified their attackers. I expected more from Wealdstone - they definitely didn't look like a team that were of a superior standard. I've seen a few National League teams this season and I would rank Wealdstone as the second worst (the worst being the dreadful, anti footballing team that are Tamworth who make Chorley look like PSG). Sadly, we seemed to get sucked into to playing the same hit and hope game as Wealdstone this afternoon. The ball spent far too much time in the air for me and there was little in the way of good football from either side. Jack Clarke has his critics but I thought that he played well today. I felt desperately sorry too for Owen Evans. He put in another excellent performance again this afternoon and showed once more what a good signing he has turned out to be. AMS played like a man possessed. He got through a tremendous amount of work this afternoon and his lay offs to supporting teammates were mostly very effective. So we're back to the bread and butter of National League North on Tuesday. Let's hope that we can push on for the remainder of the season and seal a third place finish.
George1968
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Cyberia wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 7:34 pm
Mirage Molby wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:07 pm Really disappointed at the result, but they ran their socks off today. I can’t knock a single player, they gave it everything. We certainly weren’t outclassed by a tough, compact and energetic Wealdstone team. The first half was a good watch, the second half wasn’t, the game degenerated into a slugfest.

I feel for Owen Evans (the other penalties were brilliant). He had a great game and has been a class act ever since he put a Harriers shirt on.

Third place is still very possible. On to Tuesday..
No one could fault Harriers' commitment and application this afternoon. It was a real team effort, they certainly matched Wealdstone and ,the goal apart, nullified their attackers. I expected more from Wealdstone - they definitely didn't look like a team that were of a superior standard. I've seen a few National League teams this season and I would rank Wealdstone as the second worst (the worst being the dreadful, anti footballing team that are Tamworth who make Chorley look like PSG). Sadly, we seemed to get sucked into to playing the same hit and hope game as Wealdstone this afternoon. The ball spent far too much time in the air for me and there was little in the way of good football from either side. Jack Clarke has his critics but I thought that he played well today. I felt desperately sorry too for Owen Evans. He put in another excellent performance again this afternoon and showed once more what a good signing he has turned out to be. AMS played like a man possessed. He got through a tremendous amount of work this afternoon and his lay offs to supporting teammates were mostly very effective. So we're back to the bread and butter of National League North on Tuesday. Let's hope that we can push on for the remainder of the season and seal a third place finish.
Great performance today. Not a bad performance from any player . Penalties are a lottery. MOTM could have been one of many but really pleased for kam. Class player. Feel sorry for evans as he ran his socks off but we move on .Not surprised to here hemmo going back to Dagenham. It just hasn't clicked for him. We absolutely have to keep Kalambayi. Absolute class he is.
Jim mankey
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I can't knock anyone's performance today, Riley & Kam motm for me closely followed by Jack Clark, his best game in a Harriers shirt for me. Shame that we didn't have anything on the bench that could alter the game. As others have said Owen Evans has been absolute quality for us since he joined so I'm not going to knock him for the penalty. Great to every player go to him after and the supporters reaction at the end spoke volumes. Good luck to Wealdstone in the semi-finals.
Harry Aire
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Great afternoon although we ran out of gas second half and there weren't the replacements to bring on. Dibs got his fingers to a couple and one hit a post. Could so easily have been different. They all played out of their skins. Hope there's something left to deal with the mighty Alfreton on Tuesday. Well done lads.
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Phil
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We had a striker on the bench Rob. Even if he's disappointed in the past there's every possibility that he could have come on for the last 15 minutes and might have popped up with the winner. Or even taken a penalty.

To my mind not doing so was poor from Murray.
Jim mankey
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Phil wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 8:34 pm We had a striker on the bench Rob. Even if he's disappointed in the past there's every possibility that he could have come on for the last 15 minutes and might have popped up with the winner. Or even taken a penalty.

To my mind not doing so was poor from Murray.
Chances are he would have put the penalty away Phil, as at Worksop, quite high Phil but I think you'd have been taking Morgs or Riley off to play him. Chances of scoring in normal time? Somewhere south of low I reckon Phil. You can blame Murray for poor summer recruitment but given the cards he had in his hand today I reckon he did ok.
George1968
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Jim mankey wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 10:03 pm
Phil wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 8:34 pm We had a striker on the bench Rob. Even if he's disappointed in the past there's every possibility that he could have come on for the last 15 minutes and might have popped up with the winner. Or even taken a penalty.

To my mind not doing so was poor from Murray.
Chances are he would have put the penalty away Phil, as at Worksop, quite high Phil but I think you'd have been taking Morgs or Riley off to play him. Chances of scoring in normal time? Somewhere south of low I reckon Phil. You can blame Murray for poor summer recruitment but given the cards he had in his hand today I reckon he did ok.
Totally agree. No one has had a good word for TSs and now we might of won with him on???Murray played the best 11 he could end of
Swansea Harrier
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Can only echo what was said above. The players gave everything and should hold their heads high.

Key moments went against us at key times. Suggestion of offside for the free kick (which was a really, really soft award) that Wealdstone scored from. From the back of the East Stand, Reynolds really didn't look offside for the disallowed goal. We had a red who had a shocking command of the advantage rule which cost us at least one one-on-one. Plus he was very, very inconsistent in his application of it.

Bit disappointed with Wealdstone as a team. We were comfortably the better side first half, they looked ropey at the back but dangerous going forward. But even though it was more even after half time, they offered so little when we ran out of steam after 70 minutes. Like they were playing for penalties, or if not, just one moment.

Really felt the better side - or at least the one actively trying to win the game - lost. Harsh on the players, especially Evans. But it could be a blessing in disguise - no more games to have to cram in, focus on the league.

Very impressed with the team as a while today, but Clarke stood out, as did Obi and Kalambayi. Great to see Amari back in the team too, worked well with Ryley.

Loved defending a corner with FOUR players on the halfway line in the first half. It so nearly worked when we broke too.
Bud G Smuggler
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TSS can't score from a yard out, a million to have converted in the shootout today. Qudos to the penalty takers, 11 excellent penalties - unfortunately we missed the 12th.

Players looked shattered during a poor 2nd half on an unforgiving pitch. The outstanding support from the North Stand will need to be replicated Tuesday and beyond - stay united as we were today then perhaps we can still give the playoffs a decent shot.
Swansea Harrier
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It wasn't just the North Stand - it was all Harriers fans around the ground! 🙂 A super effort from all.

Fair play to Wealdstone (a relatively small club in National League terms) for bring 500. Contributed to a great atmosphere.
tonythescout
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Gutted after that. Hard to Knock any of the players after that. They gave everything. Some had blown a gasket come the last 15 it was desperate for changes but the bench was such we could not bring anyone kne on aside from Hall as Clarke had cramp. Totally agree with Murray decision not to bring TSS on.
Hats off to both Clarke and Kandola who despite lack of games did very well. The conditions and opposition suited Clarke but still he was good. Back three excellant and Morgan smith as usual ran himself into the ground. My motm was Reynolds who looked back to his old self
Hope Evans is ok he looked distraught. Been class since he came here. Signing of the season for me
Thought the linesman on the east stand side and the ref were a complete joke. Devine looked on for the goal. We should have nicked it in normal time. PK missed a sitter then Reynolds and Kandola got mixed up n the rebound. Kudos to their keeper what a save from ams header
Atmosphere back to what it was when brown first come in and the fa cup season we need more of that.
Results in the league mainly went our way so let’s get third place secured and smash the playoffs
if you couple goals with clean sheets you've a recipe for success
Mirage Molby
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It’s worth highlighting (as many here have previously said) that Devine is so much better in an advanced position. He looks much more likely to score than most of the strikers we’ve tried in recent months.
Paulwj
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Agree re Devine he spends far too much time just waiting for the ball to come towards him.
He might be much more useful down the middle.
Certain to win us free kicks in dangerous places when he is inevitably fouled .
Wasted wide .
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