A look ahead to Tuesday night’s short trip to Kettering Town in National League North…
By Matty Paddock - 25/01/2022
Posted 4 years ago
HARRIERS face a Kettering side ready to impress a newly installed manager when the two teams meet at Latimer Park on Tuesday night.
The Poppies acted swiftly on Sunday to bring in hugely respected and experienced manager Ian Culverhouse following the sudden departure of Paul Cox to Boston United.
Culverhouse knows all about National League North and beyond having been promoted from this level as a manager before, and he’ll preside over his new charges for the very first time on Tuesday.
As well as having the momentum of a new manager in place, Kettering will be eager to bounce back from a last-gasp defeat to Bradford (Park Avenue) this past weekend.
Harriers assistant boss Jimmy O’Connor knows Tuesday represents a very different type of test to that presented to the team with the clash against York last time out.
Speaking after Cox’s departure but before the appointment of former King’s Lynn chief Culverhouse, O’Connor stressed the need to focus on Kettering immediately.
He commented: “We said to the boys again straight away when they’ve come in [after York], ‘well done’, but straight away on the wall, it says ‘Kettering away.’
“It’s a different challenge but there’s a different type of challenge in every game.
“They’ve had a good season anyway, hence why their manager has moved on, to be honest.
“It’s a different environment and a different type of pitch, and having played a game and recovering properly [to play again] two or three days later – it’s a tough test in itself.
“There are no excuses and we try and eradicate all the excuses as staff, that’s our jobs, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure the players are in the right frame of mind come Tuesday, and be right physically and mentally.”
Harriers are expected to have Nathan Cameron back for selection imminently – he’s back in training after nursing a recent injury. Lewis Montrose could also be involved on Tuesday.
Matt Preston and Devonte Redmond both started for Harriers at the weekend as new arrivals to help freshen up the squad as a whole.
O’Connor added: “It’s not just bringing any players in; it’s bringing the right players in and the right characters in.
“We both know both of the lads quite well. I’ve played with Matty myself and I know what he’s about, on and off the pitch, and Dev seems exactly the same.
“They have fitted straight in. They have respect for the boys who are already here, but they have their own qualities as well which they’re going to want to show over the next couple of months.”
Kick-off at Kettering on Tuesday night is 7:45pm.
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