All On Kamara

Harborough Town 2-0 Stamford (Southern League Central Division)

On Saturday, Harborough Town were beaten in the top of the table clash at Spalding United, a 3-1 defeat in Lincolnshire leaving the Bees nine points below the Tulips going into tonight’s match with bottom of the table Stamford, but with four games in hand.

Ironically Stamford’s last game was also against Spalding at Christmas, the Daniels have had almost three weeks without a match following wintery postponements and are now at the foot of the table, a good nine points adrift of safety, all be it with a couple of games in hand on those above them.

My last visit to Harborough was also for the match against Spalding, early in the season, the two title fighting heavyweights locked horns and played out a thrilling 1-1 draw, it was clear to see even back then in August, that these two teams would be at the right end of the Southern League Premier Central this season.

I’ve cooked beef bourguignon tonight, the wife’s got me on a Gousto subscription to assist with her healthy eating habits as she does every January, this meal is low in calories simply because there’s probably only enough for one, not two of us.

Fed, partially, I’m out the door for 5:30pm with a Wagon Wheel and flask of coffee, heading down the A46 through the East side of Leicestershire and the pretty villages of Queeniborough and Tilton on the Hill, before an hour in hitting Market Harborough, as I pass a McDonalds which I'm tempted by on the A6.

I love the town itself, the centre is right up my street, traditional, pretentious, real rural England, a classic High Street with beautiful old buildings, and shops that your granny would shop in, Joules, the White Company, Jigsaw, Peacocks, Oxfam, Savers, outlets for grannies of varied wealth, but there’s plenty of pubs too, that should keep grandad happy whilst he waits.

The Venue

I’m through the town and turning right at a roundabout signposted Leisure Centre, it’s here that Harborough Town Football Club and Market Harborough Rugby Club are situated, a relatively new complex that has a big car park and a dozen pitches, there’s mums and dads in huge people carriers dropping off their kids who play on a floodlit 3g surface across the way.

I’ve sat in my car for ten minutes people watching as women in huge vehicles try and park into the tight space besides me, one thing is certain these days, cars have got bigger, but thank god for parking sensors, without them, I really don’t think it would be possible for some folk to park.

No scratches or bumps, yet, I’m out my car and walking through the car park for 7pm, a modern pavilion all lit up has the club bar inside, I’m down the side of that to the turnstile where I’m let in for £15 contactless.

You enter the venue behind a corner flag, a lovely glistening view of the flat 3g pitch in front, everything is new, modern, well-kept, I walk around to the pavilion where there are toilets and a tea bar, it’s glass fronted and has trophies gleaming in the windows, inside it has the Managers offices and players changing rooms, it even has a TV on the wall in the corridor with a live league table and tonight’s fixtures, you feel this club is very proud of its idyllic and new little home.

For £4.25 I’m given a machine made Americano and take a snickers and pack of fruit pastels as I head out into the open, walking behind the back of the goal I notice a modern video scoreboard, last season Harborough Town reached the second round of the FA Cup, it seems they have put that money to some real good use, in making these facilities the best they possibly can, for the league they are currently in.

I’m seated in one of two metal roofed stands either side of half way, opposite is roofed standing areas and each end is open, it has similarities for me to Basford United’s ground which is closer to my home in Nottingham, another forgetful 3g facility perhaps, but Harborough is more immaculate, and even though feels modern and flat pack, is not as bland as it first seems, although one or two more additions could give the ground a little more aesthetic charm (something behind the goal would be nice).

The Game

Clubber TV are here tonight, they are set up in the stand next to the one I’m in, a decent crowd of around 500 including a few from Stamford, credit to them in making the hour long journey to see their side probably take an ass whooping.

Stamford in red, managed by Graham Drury, actually start well, as Mitch Austin’s Harborough in yellow struggle to tactically assemble themselves, do they go big, go hard, or do they just knock it around with the time and space they are given? They end up doing a bit of all, a bit of neither, which creates confusion, they don’t look at it, and make mistakes, with the experienced Liam Dolman at centre half they defend deep due to his lack of obvious pace, which creates space in the final third for Stamford to attack, Ryan Wilson is given too much time to get his shot away, a long range left footed attempt which fizzes past a post.

There’s injury on the far side as Harry Vince collides with Connor Kennedy, this see’s both players substituted after just ten minutes, but the change advantages Harborough, Josh Walsh is a player who really impressed me last time out, he played midfield against Spalding here earlier in the season, apparently he’s played left side, right side, forward, at the back, he started tonight as centre half, but moves over to right back as Robert Morgan comes on, Walsh can now get on the ball and is dictating as a deep lying right sided quarterback, think Trent Alexander-Arnold and the original inverted full back. “He’s that good he can play anywhere” says a fan sitting besides me, Walsh does things quicker in mind than any other player on show, he passes better, and starts moves off, he has an aura, calming, assured, he’s just a bloody good footballer.

Another player who I like, is Brady Hickey, tonight, playing in a midfield three, more reserved and structured than the forward running ten role he used to employ at Barwell, he’s not the same player as he was when that team went solely through him, these days just another cog in a good side, sacrificing his own game for the good of the team, I like his performance in a very different way to how I have previously seen him play.

The Score

The improved shape to Harborough has them create a couple of chances, Riley O’Sullivan is their number nine and star attacker who's missed one or two, he’s having a bit of a verbal squabble with Connor Bartle on this near side. “Shurrup you faggot” he says to Bartle, who immediately calls the linesman “did you hear that lino, he’s being homophobic”.

Not one to get involved the linesman completely ignores their petulance, but I keep an eye out on their needle, it threatens to boil over but never does, as attention draws over to another Harborough attacker with quality.

David Kamara is a 20 year old forward on loan from Peterborough United, he’s had a couple of moments where the crowd roars its approval, some neat touches to get away from markers, he’s got some pace to burn, and is powerful, Kamara has picked up the ball in the attacking third, cuts in, drives low, and gives the Bees the lead at the Beehive ahead of half time.

That goal is probably just about deserved, but Stamford haven’t been bad, they have had sparse entries into the opposition box where new signing Leon Lobjoit has looked lively, but in truth the hosts have too much about them, early in the second half Kamara should make it two, when racing through on goal he shoots wide when it looked easier to score, but he does make up for that guilt edged miss, after Josh Walsh runs into the box from the right, he centres and Kamara flicks home, a second goal of the night.

There’s still a good half an hour to go but it’s one of those games where if you offered Stamford the handshake on the hour they would have gladly accepted a two goal defeat. The Lincolnshire side are gritty and play well, they aren’t completely outclassed by Harborough who probably can shift up a few gears, but most importantly it’s a win for the home side, a big one in the title race, whilst Stamford will head home knowing that they didn’t do too bad against top opposition, they still have half a season to save and it will be against those in and around them, where they’ll look to take their points.

The Stars

Josh Walsh is a cracking footballer and one who I think can certainly play a couple of levels up, he’s only 25 and is a former Leicester City youngster who signed for Harborough in 2018 after playing for nearby Oadby Town.

Walsh can play anywhere which might be to his detriment, shifted out of midfield where I would suggest he has a more vital role, but as a full back or centre half to look equally as competent suggests what a good football brain he has.

Another one with a good football brain is Devon Kelly-Evans the diminutive holding midfielder that is employed to keep the ball ticking, to give the side shape, and to take set plays.

Whilst Brady Hickey, or perhaps even left back Elliot Putman, once of Stamford, was my best of the rest, on the night, David Kamara shown real exciting glimpses of a talented and threatening forward, he has a big future in the game, whilst Terell Pennant came on off the bench and did well, progressive forward direct running at defenders and positivity down the left, he is the nephew of Jermaine Pennant and has certain similarities in good old fashioned wing play.

A night where Stamford dug in and worked hard, they have good full backs in Connor Bartle and Charlie Marzano, a decent centre half in Jordon Cooke, I thought George Hobbins did well in midfield, whilst out on their left, Ryan Wilson had that bit of class, right sider Kai Sanchez-Tonge shown promise in patches, their best player was their new signing Leon Lobjoit who worked hard without a break, I don’t feel that Stamford are far off, just missing perhaps, some spark.

The Verdict

The win takes Harborough to within six points of Spalding having three games in hand, the title is still very much in their hands, even after Saturday’s loss, which they have now at least bounced back from.

I like Harborough, I get the feeling they’ll bully teams with good football, but on a sticky or soddened pitch where they have to scrap, they might sometimes fall short, which might be why Spalding could nick the title from them, but if David Kamara can shift up gear, they perhaps have a match winner that they have otherwise been lacking. Of the twenty top goalscorers in the division, none, play for Harborough Town, which is remarkable considering their league position.

As for Stamford, they have a huge task to stay in the division, on 13 points after 22 played, yes, they have games in hand, but even if they win them, it probably won’t make much difference. Key to their campaign now is improved progression, if they can get some confidence and pick up some more points, they’ll at least give themselves a fighters chance, but this next month will be huge, if the gap is still so wide in four weeks’ time, plans will be focused on next season, instead of this.

The Teams

Harborough Town: Elliott Taylor, Connor Kennedy (Robert Morgan 10 (Terell Pennant 46)), Elliot Putman, Liam Dolman, Josh Walsh (Paul Malone 90), Alex Morris, Devon Kelly-Evans, Brady Hickey, Riley O'Sullivan (Luis Rose 74), David Kamara, Ben Stephens (Rory McAuley 79).

Stamford: Tom Jackson, Charlie Marzano (Jon Challinor 68), Connor Bartle (Mickey Armstrong 60), Jack Keeble, Jordon Cooke, Alex Collard, Kai Sanchez-Tonge (Michael Frew 76), Harry Vince (Aaron Cashmore 11 (Josh Cavallo 60)), George Hobbins, Leon Lobjoit, Ryan Wilson.

7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 13th January 2026, Bowden Park, Market Harborough (att 504).