Beardsley back at Aggborough

Kidderminster have new striker Chris Beardsley waiting in the wings but they must do without him for the tricky FA Cup tie against Curzon Ashton tomorrow (3pm).

The 24-year-old is back at Aggborough for the second time, after manager Mark Yates' beat-the-deadline swoop to bring in the Kettering frontman on a month's loan.

Any potential debut will have to wait until Saturday week against Salisbury, with the player cup-tied from his involvement in the Poppies win at Lincoln in the second round.

Yates said: "I've known Chris for a while and he'll bring us good competition for places ahead of what is a very busy period. It leaves us with all bases covered and we're delighted to have him on board."

Yet the immediate striking poser leaves Yates with a decision to make. Matthew Barnes-Homer could be rested again, with Darryl Knights and Stefan Moore the other two options for the striking berths. Top scorer Justin Richards is out with an eye injury.

All this against a team who are the lowest ranked club left in the competition, who ply their trade three non-league levels lower than Harriers.

The minnows are expected to bring 500 to 700 supporters with them from Greater Manchester, swelling the gates at Aggborough.

All makes for an intriguing Saturday afternoon in the third round of the cup and Yates is wary of an upset.

He has even mulled it over with someone who knows, Exeter boss Paul Tisdale, who saw his side dumped out by Curzon in the last round.

He said: "It's going to be a really tough game. We've had them watched a number of times and spoken to a few people, including Paul Tisdale at Exeter.

"We've done our homework on them. I have a friend who lives near there and our assistant Neil Howarth has a mate who lives right in Curzon.

"They really fancy themselves to come down and get a result. Without a shadow of a doubt they're no mugs. They're in the same round of the FA Cup as we are, so we'll give them every ounce of respect."