Kidderminster Harriers vs. Southend United – Preview

Jay Smith may make a return to the side

That said, and despite seven matches without a victory in succession since Leon Constantine’s 89^th-minute winner at Roots Hall against Bury on August 30^th, the signs are starting to look much better for Wignall’s charges. Last weekend saw the end of three consecutive defeats, with only a late breakaway allowing Danny Schofield to race clear and hand ninth-place Huddersfield Town all thee points. Only two lapses of concentration at the end of each half helped the Terriers snatch the win, and Wignall will be encouraging his team to rectify that situation.

There was more good news in midweek as the reserve side managed to hold high-flying Division One side Norwich City to a goalless draw on the southeast Essex coastline. Betters still, young front runner Michael Husbands, sidelined since the 3-0 loss at the hands of Mansfield Town, completed 87 minutes without a reaction to his recent medial ligament damage, and looks set to return to the squad.

Also up front, Tesfaye Bramble hit the crossbar with a header before ridiculously being sent off, but did show that he was more than capable of making just his third start of the current campaign. Former Kidderminster forward Drewe Broughton has looked ineffective in his last two starts, and may be replaced, although he will be keen to improve on his record of one goal from twelve matches this season. Leon Constantine will also be eager to show Wignall that after four goals in six matches as a striker, he is better in that position than on the wing, where he has found himself on the last two outings.

Further back on the pitch, the midfield will be without Leke Odunsi, who will miss at least a fortnight with a fracture in his right leg after having to be carried off seven days ago. The tenacious midfielder is likely to be replaced by Jay Smith if Wignall keeps faith in the 4-5-1 formation that he has attempted to pull off in the past fortnight. Neil Jenkins is also in line for a recall, whilst James Corbett will miss out again. Kevin Maher, Jamie Fullarton and Mark Gower are the mainstays in the centre of the park.

At the back, Darryl Flahavan is set to make his fourth start, and incredibly the third away from home, as he tries to earn himself a permanent contract at the Hall. Carl Emberson is less than a fortnight away from a return, but manager Wignall will be assessing the situation to see whether Flahavan will be handed a new contract. Earlier in the week he told the club’s official website, www.southendunited.co.uk, “I will be speaking with the chairman this week and I will talk to Darryl following that. I don’t know what Darryl’s views on the situation at the moment, he has come in and played really well in the games, trained hard and I think he has enjoyed himself here which is the main thing”. Ryan Robinson will continue to deputise, whilst Danny Naisbitt is also set to link up with the club in some respect.

In front of Flahavan, Dave McSweeney again furthered his case for a first-team inclusion with an assured performance at centre-back against the Canaries in midweek, but he may still find himself warming the substitutes bench with the current back four looking much more solid. Duncan Jupp and Jamie Stuart will almost certainly be the full-backs, with Mark Warren and Leon Cort in the middle.

The home side lie just two places, and two points, above the Shrimpers after gaining a first win in eleven attempts at home to Carlisle United last weekend. They have seen Lloyd Dyer and Andy Bishop return to West Bromwich Albion and Walsall respectively in the last week, whilst striker Matt Lewis remains on loan at Hinckley United. However, they should be boosted by the return of Dean Bennett and top-scorer in the past two years, Bo Henriksen.

TEAM DETAILS

Likely Squads

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Andy Hall (West Midlands)

Assistant Referees: Geoff Law (Leicestershire), Glyn Miller (Derbyshire)

Birmingham-born official Hall has a rather fiery reputation this season, having dismissed two and booked 31 people in nine matches thus far, one of which was Mike Duff of Cheltenham Town in their 0-0 draw with Oxford United. That was his first Division Three match, and this will be just his third as he has refereed higher level football this year. Last season too he spent almost exclusively in the top two divisions of the Nationwide League, meaning that the last time he controlled a Shrimpers fixture was March 2002, when Stephen Broad was the only Blues player booked in a Steven Clark-inspired win. He will more likely be remembered for the extraordinary match at the Vetch Field in September 1998, when Julian Hails, Kevin Maher and Mick Gooding all found themselves red carded as Swansea City ran out 3-1 victors over United.

TEAM FORM

Last Matches

Saturday 4^th October 2003 – Nationwide League Division Three @ Roots Hall

Southend United 1 (Leke Odunsi 43) Huddersfield Town 2 (Andy Booth 45, Danny Schofield 89) [attendance: 4,205]. Southend United line-up (4-5-1): Darryl Flahavan; Duncan Jupp, Leon Cort, Mark Warren, Jamie Stuart; Mark Gower, Kevin Maher, Leke Odunsi (Jay Smith 71), Jamie Fullarton, Leon Constantine; Drewe Broughton (Tesfaye Bramble 54). Subs not used: Ryan Robinson, Dave McSweeney, Neil Jenkins.

Saturday 4^th October 2003 – Nationwide League Division Three @ Aggborough

Kidderminster Harriers 2 (Andy Bishop 56, Danny Williams 83) Carlisle United 1 (Peter Murphy 63) [attendance: 2,488]. Kidderminster Harriers line-up (4-4-2): Stuart Brock; Adie Smith, Adam Willis, Scott Stamps, Graham Ward (Dean Bennett 64); Robert Betts, JJ Melligan, Danny Williams, Sam Shilton (Lloyd Dyer 76); Bo Henriksen, Andy Bishop (Matthew Gadsby 86). Subs not used: Craig Hinton, John Williams.

Last Five Matches

Southend United

L1-2 (home; Huddersfield Town; League Division Three; Leke Odunsi)

D0-0 (away; Darlington; League Division Three)

D1-1 (away; Scunthorpe United; League Division Three; Leon Constantine)

D2-2 (home; Carlisle United; League Division Three; Dave McSweeney, Leon Constantine)

L0-2 (home; Lincoln City; League Division Three)

Kidderminster Harriers

W2-1 (home; Carlisle United; League Division Three; Andy Bishop, Danny Williams)

L0-1 (away; Huddersfield Town; League Division Three)

L1-6 (away; Hull City; League Division Three; John Williams)

L1-2 (home; Lincoln City; League Division Three; Lloyd Dyer)

L0-2 (home; Scunthorpe United; League Division Three)

Southend United away form

D0-0 (League Division Three; Darlington)

D1-1 (League Division Three; Scunthorpe United; Leon Constantine)

L2-3 (League Division Three; Hull City; Leon Constantine, Tesfaye Bramble)

L0-2 (League Division Three; Oxford United)

L0-2 (League Division Three; York City)

Kidderminster Harriers home form

W2-1 (League Division Three; Carlisle United; Andy Bishop, Danny Williams)

L1-2 (League Division Three; Lincoln City; Lloyd Dyer)

L0-2 (League Division Three; Scunthorpe United)

D1-1 (League Division Three; Oxford United; Adam Willis)

L0-2 (League Division Three; Bury)

2003/4 SEASON

Southend United (overall [away])

Nationwide League Division Three

Played: 12 [6]

Won: 2 [0]

Drawn: 3 [2]

Lost: 7 [4]

Scored: 9 [3]

Conceded: 19 [10]

Goal Difference: -10 [-7]

Points: 9 [2]

Position: 23^rd [20^th]

F.A. Cup

First Round: draw to made on 25^th October 2003

Worthington Cup

First Round: lost to Swindon Town (home) 2-3

LDV Vans Trophy

First Round: vs. Bristol Rovers (home) on Tuesday 14^th October 2003

Kidderminster Harriers (overall [home])

Nationwide League Division Three

Played: 12 [6]

Won: 3 [2]

Drawn: 2 [1]

Lost: 7 [3]

Scored: 11 [6]

Conceded: 20 [9]

Goal Difference: -9 [-3]

Points: 11 [7]

Position: 21^st [21^st]

F.A. Cup

First Round: draw to be made on 25^th October 2003

Worthington Cup

First Round: lost to Ipswich Town (away) 0-1 after extra time

LDV Vans Trophy

First Round: vs. Queens Park Rangers (home) on Tuesday 14^th October 2003

THE HISTORY

Last Meeting

Last Five Meetings

4^th October 2003 – Kidderminster Harriers 1 (JJ Melligan 76) Southend United 0 – League Division Three

17^th September 2002 – Southend United 0 Kidderminster Harriers 2 (Sean Flynn 45, JJ Melligan 49) – League Division Three

30^th March 2002 – Kidderminster Harriers 2 (Bo Henriksen 37, Ian Foster 77) Southend United 0 – League Division Three

27^th October 2001 – Southend United 1 (Carl Hutchings 2) Kidderminster Harriers 0 – League Division Three

20^th February 2001 – Kidderminster Harriers 2 (Ian Bogie 65, Stewart Hadley 89) Southend United 1 (Michael Black 31) – League Division Three

The Complete Head-to-Head Record

2002/3 – H0-2 A0-1 (League)

2001/2 – H1-0 A0-2 (League)

2000/1 – H1-1 A1-2 (League)

Summary

Overall (6 matches)

Southend United 1

Kidderminster Harriers 4

Draws 1

In the League (6 matches)

Southend United 1

Kidderminster Harriers 4

Draws 1

At Aggborough (3 matches)

Southend United 0

Kidderminster Harriers 3

Draws 0

Robert Craven

www.thelittlegazette.com