FC Halifax Town v Kidderminster Harriers preview

Venue: The Shay

Date: Saturday, October 21

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Gareth Rhodes has shown 31 yellow cards and four red cards in six games this season - five in the National League and one in the Football League Trophy. He sent-off Kidderminster's Jack Lambert in their game with Bromley in August. Took charge of Town's win at Guiseley in the FA Trophy last season.

Odds: Halifax win 21/20, draw 2/1, Kidderminster win 13/5

In the league this season

Halifax: PL15 W5 D6 L4 F16 A14 GD2 Pts21

Kidderminster: PL15 W3 D4 L8 F9 A18 GD-9 Pts13

Last five games

Halifax: Dag & Red (h) D 0-0, Eastleigh (h) L 3-2, Woking (a) W 2-1, Ebbsfleet (a) W 2-0, Marine (FAC h) L 1-0

Kidderminster: Oldham (h) L 2-1, Barnet (h) L 2-1, Dorking (a) W 1-0, Wealdstone (h) W 1-0, Ashton United (FAC h) W 2-0

Scorers

Halifax: Harker (3), Senior (2), Alli (2), Evans, Cummings, Summerfield, Keane, Hoti, Cappello, Golden

Kidderminster: Morgan-Smith (3), Hemmings (2), Hobson (2), Lessley, McDonagh, Phillips, Pearce

Manager: Russell Penn made over 200 appearances for Kidderminster as a player, and also played for Burton, Cheltenham, York and Gateshead. Penn was appointed as assistant manager ahead of the 2019/20 season before he served as caretaker manager for two games in November 2019, and then interim manager in February 2020 until the Covid pandemic. He was appointed on a permanent basis ahead of the 2020/21 season and guided the club to promotion last season.

Last season: 6th in National League North

One to watch: Attacking midfielder Bailey Hobson drew plenty of admirers while playing under ex-Halifax boss Billy Heath at Alfreton. His form there earned him a move to Chesterfield this summer, from where he is on loan at Kidderminster, and has scored twice in five league appearances.

Head-to-head: Played 22, Halifax wins 9, draws 4, Kidderminster wins 9

Last time they met: Goals from Amari Morgan-Smith and Ashley Hemmings saw Kidderminster knock Halifax out of the FA Cup in December 2021.

Match facts: Only Maidenhead and Fylde have won fewer games in the National League this season than Kidderminster (3)

Kidderminster have kept three clean sheets in a row and haven't conceded a goal in five-and-a-half hours of football.

Kidderminster have only won once in ten visits to The Shay.

No team in the fifth tier has conceded fewer home goals than Halifax (6) while only Solihull have a better defensive record than The Shaymen (14) in the division

Kidderminster are the lowest scorers in the fifth tier this season (9) and the joint-lowest scorers away from home (5)

Halifax have failed to win in their last seven home matches with Town failing to score in four of their last six home outings.

Both teams come into the game having won back-to-back league matches for the first time this season.

Only Fylde and Wealdstone have lost more away games in the division this season than Kidderminster (5)

Only Kidderminster have scored fewer home goals in the National League this season than Halifax (6)

Saturday's National League fixtures:

Bromley v Oxford C

Barnet v Maidenhead

Southend v Solihull M

Aldershot v Hartlepool

Altrincham v Dorking W

Rochdale v Oldham

Chesterfield v Gateshead

Eastleigh v York

Halifax v Kidderminster

Fylde v Ebbsfleet

Dag & Red v Woking

Wealdstone v Boreham W