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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 22, 2017 11:57:53 GMT
Out and about over much of half-term, so starting this off a tad early.
The Harriers were the only club to do a 'double' over us last season - but, having looked possibly the best side in the NLN during 2016/17, are (like us) hovering within the mid-to-upper-table pack this time around. Hopefully, then, we can exorcise another of our demons on Saturday.
You know what to do...
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 24, 2017 17:55:36 GMT
Rather earlier than usual, due to various other commitments over half-term, here is my 'Take Five' offering for COWS:
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TAKE FIVE… Kidderminster Harriers
By Hatter in Macc
1. So - another end to British Summer Time, another visit to Edgeley Park by ‘Kiddy’!
Indeed so. The full-time Harriers were in SK3 for this corresponding weekend, and the final day of BST, in 2016 - when they departed with three points. Obviously, we Hatters shall be hoping that, this time around, our last match for a few months to end in daylight will have a brighter outcome!
2. Like our previous guests Blyth Spartans, their name has a rather distinctive suffix.
Yes - the ‘Harriers’ part is perhaps more redolent of running than playing football, and, as it so happens, Kiddy’s formation in 1886 was from an athletics and rugby union club that had come into being nine years earlier. Further evidence of Kiddy’s roots could be seen at Aggborough - their ground since turning four - in the form of a track that ran around the pitch until the 1990s.
The original Harriers competed in their infancy with another club from the town - Kidderminster Olympic - that was founded in 1887, before the pair merged for 1890/91 to form Kidderminster FC on a professional basis. But this early full-time experience lasted just a year before the club was wound up due to financial difficulties, and reformed as an amateur outfit with the original name.
3. And how have they fared in their current iteration?
Very respectably. After dividing their time up to 1983 between stints in the Birmingham & District - later West Midlands - League and the Southern League, the Harriers have been calling the National League (as we know it today) their competition of residence for an impressive 28 of the last 34 years. Of the other six years, five (from 2000 to 2005) were spent as Worcestershire’s only-ever representatives in the Football League - while one, last term, saw them compete, and finish second, in the National League North following relegation from non-league’s top tier in 2016.
In knockout competitions, they have made their mark, too, reaching the Fifth Round of the FA Cup as a non-league club in 1994, and making it to four FA Trophy Finals - three of which pitted them against clubs now in the Football League: Burton Albion (who the Harriers beat in a replay 30 years ago, to become holders for the only time to date); Wycombe Wanderers; and Stevenage (with whom, during 2007, they took part in the inaugural competitive match at the ‘new’ Wembley, before a Trophy-best attendance of 53,262 that still stands). Kiddy’s geographical position has also, at various times, permitted the club entry into a number of County Senior Cups - winning the Worcestershire version 25 times, as well as those of Birmingham and Staffordshire on seven and four occasions, respectively. And the Harriers were also one of the last participants from the English border areas to reach the Welsh Cup Final - which they did twice, before surrendering to Principality opponents Wrexham (in 1986, following a replay) and Swansea (1989).
4. Our paths haven’t crossed until recently, have they? Has anyone played for both clubs?
It is certainly true that County’s shared history with the Harriers is confined to recent times. We never met during their Football League adventure (which kept them in League Two throughout), and so only mixed in the same circles when our own sadly ended - for now - in 2011.
Two of our former League players have since turned out for Kiddy, though: midfielder James Vincent (at County from 2007 to 2011) left Edgeley Park to ply his trade at Aggborough for a couple of years; and one-appearance Hatter Amari Morgan-Smith (2007/08) was in the Harriers’ front line during 2013/14. Additionally, Tim Flowers, one of our several goalkeepers from 2001, later served as Kiddy’s First Team Coach, and, for a fortnight in 2015, acted as Manager there.
5. Only Kiddy did the ‘double’ over us last year. Another of those demons to exorcise, eh?!
It is - although, with rather good timing (but unforgivable punning!), the Hatters did get into the ‘habit’ of beating full-timers last Saturday with that fine victory at Nun-eaton. And we might also take heart from the Harriers’ record at EP before last season, which shows two wins from two for County. Ok - it is only history… but, if nothing else, it can be used as pre-match Kidd-ology!
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Post by hermannsays on Oct 24, 2017 18:12:38 GMT
The table doesn't look good for Kiddy but, after a poor August where they lost 4 league games, their last 10 in all competitions has only seen one loss. Perhaps things are beginning to click for them as a team.
Last time out they finished 2-2 with Spennymoor with Spennymoor's goals being a cracking 40-yarder and a penalty. I'm sure Kiddy will turn up on Saturday expecting to take at least a point. They'll be without their newly signed defender O'Connor, a very experienced player who was recently playing as high as L1.
Remembering back to last season, I was really impressed by the movement in their forward line. It's one thing to have pace but another to be able to move off shape like they did so well. It caused all kinds of problems. I see some of the current line-up are familiar so, as ever, it'll be interesting to see what JG has planned to deal with them.
Looking beyond our #9 and #10, Duxbury's been on a really good run in terms of forward play contributions - 4 assists and 1 goal in his last 6 appearances. Maybe he'll play a big part on the day.
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djm68
Random Canadian Substitute
George Whitelaw's Gut
Posts: 23
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Post by djm68 on Oct 27, 2017 10:35:13 GMT
Going tomorrow. This could be the kiss of death, but went to ten games last season and been to four this season and not seen County lose any of them!! A win could seriously raise adrenalin levels with play -off places coming within reach.
The 'good luck charm' bit doesn't work all the time though. Went to watch one of my (and Matty Warburton's) other teams - Maine Road FC at Stockport Town in a League Cup fixture. Town are the division below Road...shouldn't have been too much of a problem. Lost 7-1!! Road then went to Widnes and lost 5-1 and then had a home local derby against West Didsbury & Chorlton (Crowd - a very decent 224) and despite going a goal up in 2 mins, contrived to lose 1-4!! And you thought County had a bit of a wobble recently!
(Ye Olde Vic open 12:30 tomorrow)
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Post by hermannsays on Oct 27, 2017 14:45:41 GMT
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Post by ceefer on Oct 27, 2017 17:06:14 GMT
I think this has a draw written all over it. Glad Clarke is back to shore up the otherwise 'suspect' defence.
An early goal could be a game changer.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Oct 27, 2017 17:19:44 GMT
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bluejon
Random Canadian Substitute
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Post by bluejon on Oct 27, 2017 19:47:11 GMT
Draging the the lad tomorrow got to be better than my last two visits (3-3 1-3)
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Post by hermannsays on Oct 28, 2017 16:41:51 GMT
One of those where a draw would have been a 'fair' result - but football isn't fair, is it?!
JG nullified Kiddy in the first half, stopping them from playing out from the back by pushing Oswell and Warburton up and Stopforth against their #4 leading to lots of long goal kicks and forcing them to try play more direct in open play. We forced lots of corners and had our best spell during the first 30 again.
Although it may have looked hyper-defensive, I really liked how we set up defensively on our attacking corners. Knowing Kiddy always bring everyone back but look to break incredibly fast, it would be quite easy to get dragged into the box but we kept numbers in nice areas to ensure they couldn't turn our corners into their attacks. We still managed to get the odd head to things and apply pressure so guarding against the breaks by having a bit more caution is fine by me in all games we're not chasing!
As you may have guessed, Kiddy were very limited in the 1st half and I think their best opportunity came from Cowan trying to throw sideways across the pitch to Duxbury. The ball was intercepted and slotted into a player who really should have done better. I know I highlighted Cowan against Blyth too so I will say that he was much improved today... with the exception of that moment.
When our goal came, it was route one stuff with Warburton taking the opportunity well.
After the break, Kiddy made a slight tactical alteration and were generally keeping the ball better through midfield because of it. Their two subs before their goal also helped to make things work for them better. I'm not sure we altered anything to deal with their change until later in the game but, ultimately, the goal was another gift rather than anything else.
Ormson came to challenge an aerial ball he had no reason to challenge for. When the striker got his head on it, it simply found its way into the abandoned goal. Maybe it'll get blamed on someone else (should have stopped cross, should have won header etc) but it really one of those where it's a poor decision which got punished.
Thereafter, both sides had chances with McKenna and Oswell missing, Smalley throwing his body in to block a goal-bound effort and one of their shots hitting the post. The killer moment came when we they worked the ball from an increasingly open central midfield behind Duxbury, slotted it across and... 1-2.
Although we also lost to Blyth in the dying minutes, today was a much better performance overall out of possession. Defenders were challenging harder and sticking together as a unit vertically and horizontally. In the second half, when I could see the line being kept, it was a heck of a lot better than two weeks ago. The forward line (Oswell, Warburton and Stopforth) showed a lot of discipline in their work with Stopforth especially impressive in the way he helped out Ball, who didn't impact the game in either direction, in the line behind too. McKenna grew into the game, winning a surprising number of headers given he was always the smaller in the challenge. Although he failed to track their FB into the box on one occasion which could have been costly, he did bust a lung to save a breakaway later on so fair play.
I suppose the most disappointing thing about losing is knowing that this Kiddy side didn't play as well going forward as their last year's side. They did have pace in central defence and Oswell was dealt with especially well, although we played a bit into their hands by not being able to get high and wide too often... so it was a bit 'back against the defender' for Oswell most of the game.
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Post by ceefer on Oct 28, 2017 19:12:03 GMT
First half was much better and we limited them and controlled most of the play and had a number of chances.
But how on earth did we lose that? Okay they had more of the ball second half and broke quickly and effectively but we had those 2 chances for Oswell and McKenna...
Agree Ormson totally missed the ball. I'm not sure if he was trying to punch it or catch it but it cost us. He did however kick the ball to Oswell for the assist to Warby, so I guess that balances it out..
Having said that if we had been more clinical we could have taken all 3 points. Overall a fair score would have been the 1-1.
Okay 3 points lost but must say it was a much improved performance in what were far from ideal weather conditions
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Post by halfabrownloaf on Oct 28, 2017 20:34:25 GMT
Same as last home match, good first half and woeful second half.
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Oct 29, 2017 0:36:15 GMT
i am deriving very little joy from county right now. i must admit to having texted my cousin yesterday to find out if he was doing something with his family with it being half term, as his absence would give me an excuse not to travel. sadly, they'd already done their gallivanting earlier in the week. although i've got to missing games in recent seasons more than ever before, now i feel like i'm looking for reasons to do so. just not feeling it at all.
it's actually the whole experience though - the travel, the chunk out of the day...everything. last time out at home i was thwarted by the dirty leeds crowd. today, i knew they'd already played but still set off in decent time. obviously the weather was filthy over the M62 and there was a delay which didn't seem to have any particular reason other than the weather and congestion, which bit an extra half hour out of my journey between huddersfield and the top of the motorway. i was tempted to turn for home at the next junction but carried on. our motorways are beyond their ability to cope with the traffic on them. the game was a few minutes old by the time i parked up, and i was surprised to hear a decent atmosphere as i approached. county had either scored or were on top.
it was the latter, and i was in in time to see oswell's downward header from a corner bounce up well over the bar. the weather was heavy drizzle throughout the half (although the long-haired youngster wasn't one of our subs today), and county were dominating at that point...without creating a great deal in the way of clear cut chances. scott duxbury in particular, appeared to be a main attacking focus for us. beating his man inside and out, winning the ball back high up the pitch, getting crosses in, and hitting a hard, low shot from an angle which was destined for the far corner of the net until it hit someone close to the line. a lot of what we did was going through scott, but although much of it was good, he also overplayed on a few occasions, trying to drag the ball back a couple of times and losing it rather than playing a short pass.
we had loads of corners. some weren't great, but there were a few decent ones in there that we just didn't really make much of. kidderminster were offering very little and messed up the bits and bobs they did manage. some of our passing from the back and midfield was poor, particularly o'halloran and ball trying to find oswell, who was shouting disgustedly at them on a number of occasions where everything towards him was struck too firmly for the conditions, leading the ball to run out of play or through to the 'keeper. we took the lead when ormson's kick was flicked on by oswell. warburton got to the ball before their no-man's land 'keeper just outside the box, and played it past him. from our angle it was either going in the corner, or just past the post...fortunately the former. a well deserved lead to take into half time, but i wanted to see us making more real chances.
second half seemed immediately different. not much happening going forward, but the game seemed much more in the middle of the park rather than the final third. kidderminster were starting to get up a head of steam and just before the woeful equaliser, they struck the post with a firm effort. the equaliser was the result of a goalkeeping error which i'm sorry to say, i expect on a regular basis from ormson. he didn't need to go and challenge, and once he did so, absolutely had to win it. unfortunately he did and then didn't, in that order, and the ball dropped pathetically in. they had another effort that landed on the roof of the net, and then a pinball in our box that they should have scored from.
oswell, surrounded by defenders, shot early and poorly, and mckenna had another poor effort. late on, oswell should have done better from a low cross from the left, but made a hash of the contact with almost an air shot that got little on the ball. my brother had 'phoned up and i was reporting that i wasn't impressed with the second half but we'd been decent in the first with duxbury an attacking threat.......just as duxbury was beaten and outpaced for their player to put in a low cross which was turned in just before injury time was called. not great defending.
a draw was a bit of a kick in the pants, so a defeat...well first half i just didn't see it coming, but given the number of leads thrown away recently, including healthy ones (including 3-0 ones), perhaps i should have. we certainly seem to have a problem with second halves, and it doesn't look like it's being part-time, doesn't look like it's fitness to me.
not happy with the dropping of hinchliffe. i've either praised him in match threads, voted for him in ceef's man of the match threads, or both, on a number of occasions this season. i like ormson's direct kicking, and indeed our goal today was route one from a goal kick. it makes me think of david luis' first spell at chelsea though. yeah, he was an attacking threat, especially from set pieces; but he was a defender who couldn't defend. ormson's kicking is important, but his involvement in the first goal was almost irrelevant by the time he cost us the equaliser.
i can't help thinking that jim has got this entirely wrong - that his work in possession should be secondary to his work being solid on crosses and shots. pep guardiola held his hands up eventually about the lunatic he had in nets last season because the fella couldn't keep goal. when i heard the line up last week, i assumed hinchliffe was either injured or had an hgv job on that he couldn't miss, as happened a couple of times last season. i don't understand not selecting him as a choice. although i wasn't there last week, my mate reckoned that ormson had several 'accident waiting to happen' moments.
ultimately, we are a team going nowhere at the moment. if we're lucky, we might qualify for the nigh impossible million game end of the new playoff structure. we've been here too long and the stress of the drive and the hole in the day are weighing on me at the moment. i've already mentally f***ed it off for next week. might possibly go to boston instead. no joy in it though. clattering around among the dead men forever. no joy in it.
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Post by sandbachhatter on Oct 29, 2017 9:53:02 GMT
At least the few minutes you missed were at the start when not a lot happened. I sat through the entire match apart from the two minutes leading up to half time when I went for a piss. Saw pretty much everything bar our goal.
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Post by harrogatehatter on Oct 29, 2017 10:26:11 GMT
I didn’t make the game today and haven’t seen the goals. However from the reports it is clear that Ormson was at fault for the first one. I cannot understand why you would play him over Hinchliffe? How many goals has he cost us over his career? Strange that when Neil Young released him no one else wanted him! I really hope that Hinchliffe and Gannon haven’t fallen out.
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Post by halfabrownloaf on Oct 29, 2017 13:12:52 GMT
It is rumoured that one first team player has been asked to find another club because he won't do as he is asked by Jim. Could it be Hinchliffe with his kicking?
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