A detailed look at the background of our FA Cup opponents this weekend…
By Matty Paddock - 16/09/2021
Posted 5 years ago
HARRIERS begin their Emirates FA Cup campaign at the Second Qualifying Round on Saturday when they travel to Sporting Khalsa.
The match will be the first meeting between the two sides as Harriers look to advance past this stage of the competition after exiting at the first attempt in each of the last two seasons.
With a new opponent lying in wait, we’ve decided to do some digging on our FA Cup hosts for the weekend as we prepare for the trip to the Guardian Warehousing Arena.
Here, Shane Wilkinson helps us break down Five Things to Know about Sporting Khalsa:
WHO ARE THEY?
Sporting Khalsa were established in 1991 – with their roots found in the Walsall and District Sunday Leagues – before advancing to semi-professional Saturday football in the mid-1990s for two years.
Khalsa returned to the semi-professional game in 2004, winning promotion from the West Midlands Regional League Division Two in the 2004-05 campaign, which lay at Step 7 of the non-league pyramid at the time. By comparison, this was Harriers’ final season in the EFL.
Founded by members of the local Sikh community, Khalsa became the first British Asian origin semi-professional team to own their own ground in 2005, before moving to their current ground in time for the 2010-11 season, having purchased it from the now-defunct Willenhall Town. The club state that their vision is to “use the power of sport to contribute to the tackling of social exclusion.”
WHERE ARE THEY?
Sporting Khalsa play at the Garden Warehousing Arena in Noose Lane, Willenhall, which is a short bus journey from Wolverhampton, giving Saturday’s game a real local flavour.
Khalsa’s record attendance came in the Emirates FA Cup in 2015, when some 2,525 packed in to watch a 3-1 defeat to FC United of Manchester, then of the National League North.
In recent years there has been a substantial investment into facilities there, funding from the likes Sport England, and the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund helping transform the venue with a new grandstand, changing facilities and 3G pitch.
ANY FAMILIAR FACES IN THE SQUAD?
Former Harrier Gujit Singh now plies his trade with Khalsa, having joined them in March 2018. Singh represented Harriers during the 2014-15 season and netted five goals in 22 appearances.
Also at Khalsa is former Bristol Rovers, Torquay United and Gibraltar international midfielder Jake Gosling, who has been there since 2019. The midfielder was prolific for Khalsa in both of his first two seasons at the club, and already has four goals to his name this campaign.
Striker Ashanti Pryce plied his trade briefly at Kettering Town last season, whilst James McGrady stands out as a winger to keep an eye on.
HOW DID THEY REACH THIS STAGE?
Ian Rowe’s side have already won three FA Cup games to reach the Second Qualifying Round and, if their previous matches are anything to go by, Saturday’s match could be quite the encounter!
Their Cup journey for 2021-22 began back in August in the Extra Preliminary Round when they ran out 4-3 winners over Coventry Sphinx, who play in the league below them. A back-and-forth tie produced plenty of goals, but they triumphed thanks in part to a brace from Joshua McKenzie. Sphinx notched a late penalty but couldn’t find a way back to parity.
Next up, Market Drayton paid them a visit and even went in front before the hosts once again powered back and got themselves a commanding 3-1 lead. Curiously, Market Drayton also netted a late penalty, in the 90th minute, but it wasn’t enough force a replay.
With the Preliminary Rounds behind them it was on to the Qualifying stages, with a First Qualifying Round meeting against Gainsborough Trinity also played at home. Here they ran out 2-1 winners, thanks in part to a last-gasp winner from Jumaane Meggoe.
Khalsa will once again have home comforts this weekend, making Harriers’ visit on Saturday their fourth consecutive game in the competition played on their own patch.
HOW’S THEIR LEAGUE SEASON GOING?
Very well, is the short answer. Khalsa are laying in the Northern Premier League Midlands division for the first time following promotion, two leagues below Harriers.
After two curtailed seasons at Step 5, Khalsa were one of the beneficiaries of the pre-season promotion shuffle that was decided on a Points Per Game basis.
Worries over the step up in levels were swiftly forgotten, however, with the team sitting in eighth position after eight games. Goals have been a theme of their season so far, scoring 18 and conceding 17.
In all competitions, they are on a four-game unbeaten run, stretching back to the Bank Holiday weekend where they were defeated by early pace-setters Halesowen Town.
In their last fixture, on Tuesday night, they comfortably dispatched Bedworth United 4-1 at home.
Heading to Saturday’s game? Get ticket and away travel information.
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