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Saturday: Harriers v Rochdale

A look ahead to Saturday’s clash with Rochdale at Aggborough…

By Matty Paddock - 07/09/2023

Posted 3 years ago

RUSS Penn wants Harriers to get back on the Aggborough goal trail as The Reds face Rochdale in National League action on Saturday.

Harriers have enjoyed a solid start to life back in this division as far as home games are concerned – three 0-0 shut-outs in a row.

While that solidity is naturally encouraging in itself, the boss knows all too well that his charges need to add that scoring touch to help bring about results – not least at home.

As we prepare to welcome a side who were playing EFL League 2 action last season to Aggborough, Penn told our YouTube channel: “It’s fantastic for the club that we’re going up against these teams now.

“They’ll bring a good, strong following with them and we’ve got to look to continue our unbeaten home form, albeit three nil-nils – I believe we could’ve won all of those three games.

“We like playing at home. I’ve told the boys, and the crowd, really, that our home form has to be our consistency this year.

“So far it has been, but now let’s start putting the ball in the back of the net and getting those points on the board.”

The Dale were relegated last season but have made a good fist of their fight back thus far.

Far from struggling to adjust to life in non-league, they’ve picked up some key results, notably a 3-1 win at York City recently.

“I’ve told the boys, and the crowd, really, that our home form has to be our consistency this year.” Russ Penn

“They’re a good team who’ve had a mixed bag of results,” reflected Penn.

“They have vast experience in the line-up; Clayton in midfield who has played over 400, 500 League games.

“Henderson is a club legend – these are decent. They’ve been a League club for years and they act like a League club.

“They’ll be one of the promotion favourites this year, but we’ve got to take our own spin on things and put it on them.”

Russ Penn confirmed that Matt Preston remains on the sidelines alongside Shane Byrne for this weekend.

Preston suffered a calf injury in the win at York in August but is still expected to be a week away from returning.

Jack Lambert will be assessed after ‘taking a bang’ in the Southend defeat last weekend, while Krystian Pearce will be missing as he heads on international duty.

Saturday’s game will be the first meeting of these two sides since 2005, and the 11th overall.

The last Aggborough contest ended in a 2-1 Harriers win in League 2.

View highlights from past games against Rochdale:

Kick-off on Saturday is at 3:00pm

MATCH TICKETS

As with the last few seasons at Aggborough, advance purchase of match tickets is strongly recommended to help minimise queues and also to make a saving.

Prices rise by £5 for any ticket purchased in person at the box office on the day of the match. To avoid this, buy online, any time, up to 15 minutes after kick off – even if this is once you arrive at the ground.

Any supporters needing assistance with purchasing online can contact us before a match day on 01562 823 931.

£5 PREMIER LEAGUE/CHAMPIONSHIP OFFER

Don’t forget, if you’re a Season Ticket holder at a Premier League or Championship club, you can get admission on Saturday for just £5.

Find out more.

AGGBOROUGH IS CASHLESS

Please remember, Aggborough Stadium and all of its outlets are cashless – we cannot accept cash as payment under any circumstances.

YOUR MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

Don’t miss the latest copy of The Harrier, which features club news, views and features. There’s an update from Russ Penn, Case Files with Amari Morgan-Smith and a look back at an all-time classic National League match from Aggborough’s history.

Buy your copy from around the ground or in the Club Shop. To make sure of your copy, or to get one if you can’t make it to the ground, you can purchase online for FREE UK mainland delivery.

Get your copy today.

FAN ZONE AT AGGBOROUGH

The Harriers Fan Zone adjacent to the Club Shop at Aggborough will again be open before Saturday’s game.

There, you’ll be able to find an amazing atmosphere plus a range of incredible food, drink, and more – the perfect place for your pre-match hangout where you can sit and soak in the build-up with other fans.

NO SMOKING

Aggborough Stadium is a strictly no smoking venue – this means smoking, including the use of vapes and e-cigarettes, is prohibited anywhere within the stadium.

LIVE MATCH STREAMING

Harriers fans can view National League matches this season on National League TV.

All Harriers league matches will be available internationally on the NLTV platform, while games outside of UEFA Article 48 blocked hours (2.45pm to 5.15pm on Monday) will be available to view in the UK, too.

Saturday’s game takes place outside of the Blocked Hours, which do not apply during an international break when Premier League and Championship teams aren’t playing. This means you can stream the game wherever you are!

View more details.