"Bucks looking for lift-off against Harriers "

Match Date : August 6th, 2019 7:45 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 19:45

The Bucks begin this season’s home campaign on Tuesday night with a game against local rivals Kidderminster Harriers.

 Despite ending only five points outside the playoffs last season, Harriers’ 10th place finish was their worst for more than 40 years. So it’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that the Worcestershire club have a new manager for the 2019/20 campaign.

 The new man in charge at Aggborough is John Pemberton, a former professional player with over a decade’s worth of coaching experience under his belt. But although Pemberton has led academy sides and taken caretaker charge of a number of clubs, the Harriers job is his first in full managerial control of an outfit.

 Pemberton inherits a full-time squad that remains largely similar to that of last season. 19-goal top scorer Joe Ironside left for Macclesfield Town in the summer, but Kiddy can still count on the dangerous duo of Ashley Chambers and Ed Williams – both of whom scored in Harriers’ opening day 2-2 draw with Leamington. Meanwhile, experienced defender Cliff Moyo arrived from Guiseley and was promptly appointed Kiddy captain for the forthcoming campaign.

 Fans of both clubs may well be hoping to see a few more goals on Tuesday after last season’s clashes between the two sides produced just one, solitary strike across 180 minutes. That goal was scored by Kiddy loanee Nick Clayton-Phillips, who grabbed the winner as Harriers won 1-0 at the New Bucks Head in January.

 Gavin Cowan and his men will no doubt be looking to improve on last season’s record against Kiddy, then. And after Saturday’s defeat at Kettering, the Bucks will be hoping home comforts help deliver the first points of the new campaign.

Stats

AFC Telford United: 

Last result: Kettering 2-1 AFC Telford United

Last season’s league position: 8th

Last season’s top scorers: Daniel Udoh (26) – No longer with club

Kidderminster Harriers: 

Last result: Kidderminster Harriers 2-2 Leamington

Last season’s league position: 10th

Last season’s top scorers: Joe Ironside (19) – No longer with club

Website: http://www.harriers.co.uk/