Grim faces after Mariners late show

I don’t quite know what it is about matches at night under the lights but they seem to have any extra buzz about them. And Aggborough certainly was buzzing. However, a game that promised so much, in the end failed to deliver. Perhaps the players felt the pressure of playing in front of the Sports TV cameras?

It is certainly a case of two-points dropped after conceding such a late, late goal. There is nothing worse than having to stand and watch the opposition celebrate, especially in stoppage time. It makes the draw feel like a defeat. Although I have to admit that an equaliser did look on the cards after Kyle Storer saw red for a second bookable offence with ten minutes to go. The midfielder’s dismissal did seem a little harsh considering his first yellow was pretty innocuous. Sadly, it was another match in which the referee seemed to take centre stage, angering both sets of supporters with controversial decisions.

Up until that point it had all been going so well. A well-taken goal by Nick Wright seemed like it would be enough to edge a closely fought game but I guess we’ll have to settle for a point, take it on the chin, and focus on the next game against Kettering.

Sticking with floodlit football, I remember watching a league cup-tie against Swindon Town at Aggborough when the floodlights actually failed before the match, casting the ground into darkness. It took so long for the problem to be fixed that the Harriers players reverted to playing a game called ‘headers and volleys’ in the goal in front of the North Stand. I vividly recall Abdou Sall, the 6ft 3inch Senegalese defender, been particularly good at this! The match eventually kicked off around 9pm and turned out to be a thrilling contest. In extra-time with the score all square at 2-2, it was Sall himself who popped up at the back post to power home a header and score the golden goal. Ever since then I have regarded ‘headers and volleys’ as an essential warm-up exercise!

For the past couple of weeks I have been taking a look at former Harriers players who have gone on to play at a higher standard of football, particularly focussing on the past couple of decades. Immediately one thinks of Lee Hughes. Ever since his departure in 1997 he has proved himself as a prolific marksman at every level of the football league, even having a short spell in the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion. Only last month he became the first opposition player to score a goal at Juventus’ new stadium in a match to celebrate its opening against his current employers, Notts County.

Other names such as Ben Foster and Wes Morgan spring to mind. The former has gone on to become an established Premier League goalkeeper, also representing England, whilst the latter is a first-team regular for Championship outfit Nottingham Forest. Although both only featured for the Harriers on loan they have still nevertheless donned the famous red jersey.

Paul Jones, the retired Welsh goalkeeper, is another well-known prodigy. Jones began his career at the Harriers, making over 200 appearances for the club, before going on to play for a host of clubs including Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also won 50 caps for the Wales national side.

Other names include Marcus Bignot, who went on to play for Queens Park Rangers, and his younger brother Paul, who recently signed for Championship outfit Blackpool. The list is fairly substantial!

Anyway, back to current affairs and following the match against Grimsby, Steve Burr couldn’t hide his frustration as he was left to rue his side’s missed chances. He also expressed his anger at the first booking that ultimately led to Storer getting sent off. Sentiments that I’m sure are echoed by the Harriers faithful.

This Blue Square Premier business is never an easy ride and I can guarantee there will be plenty more twists and turns to come. That said, I guess we should just sit back, buckle up and enjoy the ride!

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