JJ's back to help us on our clamber back up the table and he couldn't have come a minute too soon.  Without him in midfield we have looked totally lacking in ideas and inspiration.

Sad to say but the new faces that Brit bought in to do the job that JJ did last season have failed to work out and may be the biggest reason of all for our slump in form.  Some fans have also said that we look weak up front without Drewe Broughton, to lay the balls off for Bo, but JJ also played a major part in Bo racking up twenty goals last season by his unselfish attitude in front of goal.

So will JJ be the catalyst that sparks our season back to life?  Hard to call given the fact that he's lacking match practise but if we can manage to extend the loan further than the initial one month then I think we'll be ok.  A new striker still wouldn't go amiss.

Also luckily for us we seem to be injury free once again.  Both Bo and Brockie picked up knocks at Huddersfield but will make the game.

We really have been fortunate so far with injuries.

Again I expect the out of form Craig Hinton to spend time on the bench but I would think that its about time that Brit woke up to the fact that Matt Gadsby is wasted sat down half the match and should start.  Preferably at centre-half.


Carlisle are occupying their usual place at the foot of the table.  The surprise is that we're down there with them.

Over the years Carlisle have been perennial strugglers but have always seemed to pull the rabbit out of the hat at the last minute.  This has been achieved by getting stuck in and not giving the other team an inch.  We have seen this for ourselves whenever we have played Carlisle, even though we have never played them at the end of a season they still play as if their life depends on it with every game they play.

We need to take a leaf out of their book and do likewise.

They have just appointed ex Wolf, Paul Simpson, as their new player/manager after Roddy Collins was sacked at the end of August.  He was previously player/manager at Rochdale but was sacked at the end of last season.

One of Simpsons first moves was to bring in a striker, Kevin Henderson, on loan from promoted Hartlepool.  So far he hasn't produced the goods for them and has only scored once.  He missed their last game, a 1-0 defeat against Orient, through injury and will also miss this one and stay behind in Carlisle for more treatment to his knee.

Paul Simpson will also be out of the game but he won't be staying behind and they also have injuries to quite a few others.  The opposite to us.

Steve Livingstone (back), Craig Russell (groin), Mark Summerbell (shoulder), Rob Byrne and Mike Reed will also miss the match.


This is one game that we MUST win, one point will not be seen as a good result for us but the problem is going to be this:

Carlisle are our bogie team!!

Teams

Harriers from:
Brock, Danby, Stamps, Gadsby, Coleman, Willis, Smith, Hinton, D Williams, Parrish, Bennett, Betts, Melligan, Dyer, Ward, Shilton, Henriksen, J Williams, Bishop.

Carlisle from:
Glennon, Keen, Kelly, Andrews, D Byrne, Shelley, Billy, Jack, Dillon, Lynn, McGill, Wake, McDonagh, Raven, Murphy, Simpson, Hamilton, Foran, Molloy, Farrell, Rundle.