"Bucks looking to take the sting out of the Bees"

Match Date : October 19th, 2024 3:00 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central
Ground : Harborough Town Community Football Ground
Kick Off : 15:00

The Bucks travel to Leicestershire this Saturday to take on new boys Harborough Town.

The Bees finished 3rd in last season’s Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, four points behind champions Spalding United. Harborough went on to win the playoffs, seeing off Hinckley Leicester Road before beating runners up Anstey Nomads 2-0 away from home to seal promotion.

That success was the second promotion for Town in Mitch Austin’s current four-year reign at the club – the Bees having previously won the United Counties League Premier Division South in 2021–22. Austin is still only 36 and has spells in charge of Sileby Rangers, Bugbrooke and Rothwell Corinthians, as well as stints as assistant manager at Kettering Town and St Ives Town.

Harborough’s success last season was built on a watertight defence. The Bees conceded just 24 goals in 38 games, which was nine better than the next best backline. And Austin’s side have been almost as stingy again this season, conceding just ten goals in their first ten league games – only Kettering, Banbury and Alvechurch have conceded fewer. But a lack of incisiveness at the other end means that the Bees currently sit in 14th. That said Town walloped Stourbridge 4-1 on Tuesday night to boost their total goals for up from 8 to 12, while they have also been finding the net slightly more often in the FA Cup. Harborough are still in the competition and reached the First Round for the first time in their history by beating Bury 1-0 last Saturday.

The Bee’s main man this season has been Ben Stephens, who has notched seven goals in league and cup. At the other end, a trio of local lads are at the heart of Harborough’s defensive solidity. Between them, keeper Elliott Taylor, full back Josh Walsh and centre back and captain, Ben Williams, have played over 750 games for the club. Meanwhile, another Market Harborough native and former Bucks coach, David Staff, acts as assistant to Austin.

Harborough have won two and lost two of their four home league games, while the Bucks have picked up eight points from five away games so far. Kevin Wilkin’s men fell to a 2-0 defeat at Barwell last time out on the road and are three without a win in the league, so the Bucks will be looking to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Website: www.harboroughtownfc.org

Ground Address: Harborough Town Community Football Ground, Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE9 8FQ