A look ahead to our trip to Banbury…..
By Matty Paddock - 28/10/2022
Posted 3 years ago
HARRIERS go up against a Banbury side this weekend who’ve shown ‘no fear’ in National League North, according to boss Russ Penn.
The Puritans stormed their way to the league title at Step 3 last season in a truly memorable campaign masterminded by boss Andy Whing, a former member of the coaching staff here at Aggborough.
Penn had compliments for Whing and his side, and knows his own outfit will come up against a team with plenty of confidence on Saturday.
He explained: “They’re a very good footballing team and a team that’s used to winning.
“They romped the league below last season and have come into this league with no fear.
“They’re going to be in and around it this year. He recruits really well for the way he wants to play and has done a good job.
“There is no easy game this season, but I want people to say that about us as well.
“If we play [like we did] on Tuesday and other games this season there will be no problem.”
Banbury are in the midst of their first blip of results in quite some time, having lost their last three matches in all competition.
Tellingly, all of those matches came away from home – they remain unbeaten on their own patch in National League North, and Saturday’s contest is their first at The Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium since September 27th.
Penn knows that whomever Harriers face, the task is tough – evidenced not only but his team’s own form at times this season but almost every other side in the division, too.
Eyeing up back-to-back tips to Banbury and Scarborough Athletic, he added: “I look at every fixture home and away this season, and where the league is and you think ‘who’s going to be promoted, or [if not], play-off bound?’
“Every game is tough this season, there’s no bankers whatsoever and everyone has got something to fight for with the four going down as well.
“Scarborough and Banbury are just as hard as Farsley and Southport, so it’s always down to us.”
Harriers, looking to build on Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Chorley, are slowly seeing signs of improvement in the injury situation that has hampered much of their last month.
Joe Foulkes is now back in training with the group, with Nat Knight-Percival due to resume the same duties next week.
Jack Tolley will follow the week after, while Tom Owen-Evans is said to be around ten days from being “in and around it” after a lengthy lay-off.
Kick-off at Banbury United on Saturday is at 3:00pm.
The home side have published some useful match day information for those Harriers fans making the trip.
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