York City could equal their best winning sequence in three-and-a-half years as improving Kidderminster Harriers visit Bootham Crescent this weekend.
Successive triumphs against Curzon Ashton and Alfreton Town leave the hosts hoping to match the trio of victories achieved under former boss Nigel Worthington when on the way to the League Two play-offs in April 2014.
The Minstermen won all three of those games by a single-goal as Michael Coulson, Keith Lowe and Coulson again finally accounted for Oxford United, Bury and Newport County respectively.
Despite their recently improved haul, sixth-placed York are still an alarming sixteen points behind clear leaders Salford City in the table, and nine short of Harrogate Town in the crucial third spot.
Kidderminster were themselves play-off semi-finalists last season and arrive unbeaten in five league games and since a 2-1 defeat at Tamworth a couple of months ago.
Vital Quotes:
“We’re playing against a very good, strong Kidderminster team this weekend,” manager Martin Gray told BBC Radio York. “They use the ball well, make the pitch really big and work really well on the ball. We have to make sure we have a better shape and don’t play an open game – which we didn’t plan to [at Alfreton]. But we’ve had a great opportunity this week to work on that and hopefully come Saturday we’ll be a lot better for it.”
York City Team News:
The Minstermen are likely to remain unchanged after successive victories, with strikers Louis Almond [shoulder] and Michael Rankine [high blood pressure], plus midfielder Clovis Kamdjo [knee], currently ruled out.
York City (probable): Bartlett, Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle, Rowe, Moke, Newton, Connolly, Martin, Parkin
subs: Simpson, Gray, Morgan-Smith, Ferguson, Wharton
Player to watch: Adam Bartlett
Home debut for the former Kidderminster goalkeeper having crucially saved a penalty in the latest victory at Alfreton Town.
Kidderminster Harriers Team News:
The visitors are without suspended defender Tryone Williams following his sending-off in the 3-3 draw at Darlington. Right-back Lee Vaughan [broken leg] and midfielder Dan Bradley [knee] are similarly unavailable. Former York schemer Yan Klukowski could therefore earn an immediate start having arrived on loan from Torquay United.
Player to watch: Yan Klukowsi
Makes an early return to his former club after joining the visitors on loan from Torquay.
Match Facts & Stats
Kidderminster have made eleven previous league trips to Bootham Crescent, four of those when in the Football League together, winning on three occasions against York’s quartet of triumphs. The latest meeting was a 3-2 success for the visitors handing City a first league defeat in thirteen games in December 2011 – despite goals from former Harrier Matty Blair and David McGurk. But Ashley Chambers also missed a penalty. Team: Ingham, Challinor, McGurk, Fyfield, Meredith, Kerr, Boucaud (Moke), McLaughlin, Chambers (Parslow), Blair, Pilkington (Ashikodi). The only other encounter was a highly dramatic and record-breaking FA Trophy tie in February 2009.
Link: Red Rewind – City win record penalty shoot-out
Next Fixtures:
York – Coalville Town (FAT3QR) (H); Kidderminster – North Ferriby (H)
Weekend Games: AFC Telford v Alfreton; Bradford PA v Brackley; Darlington v Tamworth; Gainsborough v FC United of Manchester; Harrogate v Boston; Leamington v Spennymoor; Nuneaton v Curzon Ashton; Salford v North Ferriby; Southport v Blyth; Stockport v Chorley; York City v Kidderminster
