{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from March 2005

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
27th March 2005 21:17


Kidderminster Harriers are our next opponents in the league. And surely the line-ups for either side on Easter Monday might differ much from the ones earlier this season. One reason why might be managerial upheavals, of which the one of the Stags was the more controversial inasmuch as Keith Curle was disgracefully suspended by Keith Haslam in mid-November (note: writer's opinion). In Kidderminster's case, Jan Mölby resigned late October and, after a no-point return during the caretaker Shaun Dunnington, the Dane was replaced on November 30, 2004 by the Stags' last promotion manager, Stuart Watkiss. Will Watkiss keep the Harriers in the league??? And here are the comparisons between August 21 and the latest league fixture:

Team line-ups on August 14, 2004, courtesy of Stagsnet report:

Stags: Pilkington, McNiven, Baptiste, Artell, Buxton, Mackenzie, Curtis, Murray, Larkin, O'Neill, Asamoah. Subs: Williamson, Corden. Not used: Day, Neil, Tait.

Harriers: Danby, Jenkins, Viveash, Advice-Desruisseaux, Burton, Christiansen, Foster (Rickards 62), Mellon, Keates (Appleby 71), Hatswell, Roberts. Subs Not Used: Lewis, Gleeson, Russell.; compared to the ones in the last league fixture:

Stags (against Chester): Pilkington, Neil, Baptiste, Buxton , McNiven, Brown, McLachlan, Coke, Lloyd, Rundle, Barker. Sub: Dimech. Not used: White, McIntosh, Day, Barrowman.

Harriers (at Darlington): Danby, Weaver, Mullins, Jackson, Hatswell, Cozic, Keates, Jenkins, McGrath, Sturrock (Rawle 45), Beardsley (Christie 70, Jones 90).
Subs Not Used: Lewis, Russell.

For the Stags, four players who started in the 2-1-win on August 14, started against Chester (only ever-present Pilkington, McNiven, Baptiste and Buxton) and for the Harriers goalie Danby, Jenkins, Keates and Hatswell, four as well. And the ex-Stags at the Harriers, didn't feature in the 2-0 win at Darlington at the same time as Beardsley was subbed for Christie with twenty minutes to go. This also marked the Harriers' sixth consecutive league game without defeat, while the Stags haven't won since the 2-0 away victory at Bury on February 19.

Both teams have something else in common: playing West Ham at home in a 5th round FA Cup tie. While the Stags kayoed the Hammers in 1969, the Harriers lost by the only goal of the game 25 years later.

Although Kidderminster Harriers reached the first round of the FA Cup on several occasions in their non-league days, they have never faced the Stags in this competition. A competition in which Kidderminster last season were on the verge of kayoeing last season's Premiership side Wolverhampton at Aggborough – while the Stags went out at home to Division One Burnley – all in the 3rd round.

All league games as well as home and away have been very close encounters and no win for either side has been achieved by more than a one-goal margin. This was proved as late as last season. Thence, the teams faced each other at Kidderminster on the opening day of last season, when the Harriers were lucky to run out 2-1 winners.
At Field Mill, the decisive moments came midway through the first half. Adam Murray, then playing for the Harriers but recently for the Stags, tangled with Lee Williamson with the result of a Kidderminster penalty being awarded. Ward had less luch than the Dane Bo Henriksen had had on the opening day, as Pilkington saved the spot-kick. Just a few minutes later, Day headed home the only goal of the game. This was during a period when the Stags notched several 1-0 victories. And on August 14, 2004, the Stags overcame a shock (only eleven seconds!) Kidderminster leading goal to come back from behind and seal a 2-1-win thanks to a man-of-the-match-performance from Colin Larkin.

Despite being the fifth league season for Kidderminster, yet a number of players have appeared for the Harriers and the Stags during this short time. Below are some interesting details.

Mark Blake starred for the Stags in BOTH games against Kidderminster in 2000-01 but for the Harriers against the Stags on September 1, 2001 – and was yellow-carded in all three games! On the other hand, Neil Mackenzie represented the Harriers in both games AGAINST the Stags in 2000-01 while Colin Larkin was on loan to Kidderminster from Wolverhampton in 2001-02 without ever facing the Stags. Will Chris Beardsley and Iyseden Christie feature in the Harriers' line-up on Easter Monday?

Simeon Hodson and Steve Prindiville played for Kidderminster before finally getting promotion to the league in 2000, all others listed below have played for both sides in league fixtures while Walter Akers and Benjamin Wonnacott starred before World War II. David Smith and Alf Somerfield played for the Harriers in the 1950's, while Somerfield played for the Stags before the second World War.

Played for both sides: Walter Akers, Chris Beardsley, Mark Blake, Iyseden Christie, Matt Gadsby, Stewart Hadley, Simeon Hodson, Colin Larkin, Neil Mackenzie, Adam Murray, Steve Prindiville, David Smith, Alf Somerfield, Andy White, Adam Willis, Benjamin Wonnacott

Managed both sides: Stuart Watkiss

Home: P 4, W 3, D 1, L 0, GF 6, GA 3
Away: P 3, W 0, D 1, L 2, GF 2, GA 4

Home games Away games

2000-01 2-1 2001-01-23 0-1 2000-12-26 Div 3
2001-02 1-1 2002-01-29 1-1 2001-09-01 Div 3
2003-04 1-0 2004-01-10 1-2 2003-08-09 Div 3
2004-05 2-1 2004-08-21 (at Field Mill) League Two

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

Details from various sources, i.e. Rothmans Football Yearbook, the history CD, the centenary book

 

Latest | March 2005