Hartlepool United take on Kidderminster

By Albatross
April 4 2003

Hartlepool United travel to Aggbrough to take on Kidderminster Harriers knowing that a win will go a long way to securing promotion and might even clinch it. More importantly for our title hopes, we need to take something from the game to keep ahead of Rushden. Can we turn round our recent bad form?

Kiddy haven't been in the best of form recently, but it's fair to say that Ian Britton's cause hasn't been helped by a number of injuries that have depleted his already small squad. Last Saturday saw Britton lose first-choice keeper Fraser Digby just before the match, and he had to be replaced by Stuart Brock. This may have been something of a relief to Harriers fans, as Digby only arrived in January and has hardly covered himself with glory since. He is still a doubt for the game, and Kiddy may have to recall youngster John Danby from a loan spell at local non-league side Stourport Swifts to act as cover.

Leading Scorer Bo Henriksen (18 goals) may start the game, but if he does it will be his first for a month; after picking up an injury, he then found himself bizarrely left on the bench. In those four games, Kiddy drew the first two (both at home) 2-2, and then lost away at Lincoln and Macclesfield. Currently they are 11th, three points behind the last Playoff Place but with a game in hand of most teams - by no means out of it then; but a long, hard season with a small squad is beginning to take it's toll. Henriksen's hamstring, Lee Ayres' ankle injury, and Digby's knee problem haven't been helped by the recall of on-loan defender Wes Morgan by Nottingham Forest, and the absence last weekend of JJ Melligan who was on duty for Eire u21s.

Britton has added to his squad through the signing of Hugh McAuley - released by Cheltenham - but has been having problems playing a consistent formation due to the absence of certain players. From their usual 3-5-2, Harriers have switched to 4-4-2 and then played a 3-4-3 system at Macclesfield. Whatever the formation, one player almost certain to start is former Poolie Sam "son of Peter" Shilton.

For Pools, last Saturday's draw with Bournemouth raised more questions than it answered. Yes, Flash and Smith both made their first starts for some time; but it was hardly an unqualified success. Ritchie Humphreys failed to have the same impact in the middle as out wide, and Eifion Williams still looks like he can't buy a goal at the moment. The half-time substitution of Arnison for Barron also raises some interesting questions about who may play on the right hand side. With Clarke also not looking comfortable on the right, most people - me included - would like to see Smith and Humphreys both starting wide, and swapping around during the game.

Virtually the whole squad has spent a couple of days training at Lilleshall in the build-up to this game, and hopefully the change of scenery will also see a change of mood in the camp. Will it also see a change in formation and/or personnel? I'd be tempted to go back to 3-5-2 for this game, keeping it tight and looking for an opportunity as we did so many times before Christmas. If we stay with 4-4-2, then we need to look at bringing Widds back in to partner Tinkler, and playing Humphreys wide - whether that means dropping Smith or playing him on the right instead of Clarke.

Up front, Eifion Williams has been drinking in the Last Chance Saloon for some time now; and if he starts, then he must know that he has to come up with the goods. It's tempting to say that Henderson is worht a go; but I'd be interested to see a partnership of Flash and Boyd up front. If Boyd is prepared to do a lot of the running, then Watson has the presence and ability to play him in and hold the ball up for him - and both have shown they know where the net is.

Prediction time, and it's difficult to see beyond a 0-0 draw. I will instead though go for 1-1, with Flash grabbing his comeback goal to earn us a point. All we have to do then is listen for the result of the Bristol-Rushden game, and hope!