Day 222

We travelled to Kidderminster today, hoping to further cement our place at the top of the league. I kept Samba Kanouté, Alex Billington, and Alan Power in the starting lineup after their heroics against Cambridge. Woods and Nutter made the bench, while Bore sat out entirely for the second successive game. Matthew Barnes-Homer returned to the side after being rested last week. Francis Laurent dropped to the bench. Youngster Robert Taylor failed to impress against Cambridge, so French winger Benjamin Laurant was drafted in to start on the left flank.

Barnes-Homer hit the side-netting twice in the first four minutes of the game. The striker looked in a goalscoring mood, making both chances himself. He nearly got his goal in the 15th minute, following a scramble in the Kidderminster box. Both Barnes-Homer and strike-partner Ben May were kept out thanks to desperate defending.

There was no keeping out defender Rui Marques, however, as the experienced Angolan tenaciously converted a corner from Chris Shuker for our first goal in the 22nd minute.

Kidderminster striker Nick Wright was booked for diving after half an hour. I breathed a sigh of relief, because Wright had found himself in a one-on-one with my keeper. Only a woeful first touch kept the striker from firing a shot off. The dive was clearly an attempt to salvage something from the chance.

The players looked nervous during the second period. Neither side really made any headway, snatching at chances and giving the ball away.

With ten minutes on the clock that changed, however. Substitute John Nutter, playing in midfield instead of his usual left-back role, played an incisive through ball for Barnes-Homer. The striker streaked away from the Kidderminster defence, took a touch, and buried his shot beyond the keeper. The closing stages were just a formality from then—everyone on the pitch knew that scores would stay as they were.

Highlights for me were another strong right-back showing from Samba Kanouté and a stellar display from veteran centre half Rui Marques—perhaps my most consistent performer this season.

Mansfield lost to Fleetwood, which means we’re now six points clear (although Wrexham could peg that back to three if they win both of their games in hand). There are still fourteen matches to play, but we’re looking increasingly likely to run away with the title.