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Kidderminster Harriers

6-2 FA Trophy defeat to Kidderminster puts more pressure on Morecambe’s Ashvir Singh Johal

The 6-2 FA Trophy Fourth Round defeat to Kidderminster on Tuesday night puts more pressure on Morecambe’s Ashvir Singh Johal.

The National League North outfit produced a dominant display, Reece Devine with in a superb opener just 3 minutes in, then the Harriers continued to run riot with goals from Emeka Obi (24′), Toby Onanaye (28′).

Morecambe replied with a penalty through Admiral Muskwe 31′, then Kidderminster extended their lead thanks to Paul Kalambayi (45+2′) and Ryley Reynolds (45+3′), making it 5-1 come half time.

Kalambayi made it six for the hosts just after the break, then Miguel Azeez got Morecambe their second shortly before full time.

Ashvir: “Really disappointed. Everything we’ve done well in the last four games today from second one. They ran all over us. They showed more intent, they showed more passion, they showed more desire. All the non-negotiables, all the things that we did well against Rochdale, Carlisle in the two games before. Today we were completely outclassed in all of those departments, whether they physical, whether they mental, whether they were technical or tactical.

“In the first minute when we didn’t press their midfielder when he switched it and then we didn’t get tight enough to their winger when they scored. It was going be very difficult evening, I’m really disappointed with the mentality and the intent, because that just shows that if we don’t do those things then we can equal very very easily.”

Interviewer: “It must have been a really tough watch for you from the sidelines.”

Ashvir: “It was, very difficult because all of the things that they did well are things that we didn’t do well, it wasn’t anything system or personnel, was pure heart, desire, work rate, things that we’ve done well in in the last few weeks and since October, November as a whole, today let ourselves down.

“But the question now is going to be, we have to analyse tomorrow, it a thing where we didn’t prepare well enough, the group thought that they’d turn up and win easily and it just be a given, were they actually better in those moments than us?

“That’s going to be the thing we have to find out and the worrying thing for us is going to be is if what we see shows that it was just because they wanted it more than us and there was duels or running or pressing or closing down.”

Interviewer: “That’s one of the hardest things in my energy isn’t it sometimes, you know the better team in the day because of the better footballers but when it’s heart and ambition and soul like it was perhaps they like you’re saying that was like it really hard.”

Ashvir: “Yeah, it makes it hard. But I think today one thing I’ve realised for sure is that against the big teams or the teams that are toward the top of the table or the big main teams in our league we turn up we do those things.

“If we look at all of our performances against teams that are similar to us or Chester or this game, teams that are towards the bottom of the table or league below, we don’t do those things.

“So we’ve got to get to the bottom, the root of why we don’t do them, because there’s a trend now in the big games or against the bigger named teams we do it.

“And we do those things and we actually dominate those games physically, technically, tactically, mentally. But against teams like Boston, against teams like Braintree, Gateshead in the league earlier on, Chester, this game, teams that are in the bottom half of the table or teams that are below, we don’t…

“We prepare the same, so our training week, our analysis is exactly the same game to game in terms of how we train what we do. So now it’s an execution and application thing, and we’ve got to make sure we fix that really quickly going into the Scunthorpe game.”

PROTEST GROUP STATEMENT:

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CUSTODIANS OF MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

The 1920 Union is once again calling on Panjab Warriors, the custodians of Morecambe Football Club, to address the continued and unacceptable lack of communication with supporters.

09/12/2025 marked the second occasion on which Panjab Warriors publicly stated that communication with fans would be their highest priority. That commitment has not been delivered. Supporters have been left in the dark on key footballing and operational matters, creating uncertainty and frustration at a time when clarity and leadership are desperately needed.

We also believe it is vital that Panjab Warriors urgently address growing concerns surrounding Ashvir Singh Johal’s management of the playing squad. Based on statistics from previous seasons, an average of 1.5 points per game from the remaining fixtures will be required to avoid relegation. The current points per game return stands at 0.8, almost half of the required average.

Given last night’s indefensible defeat to Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Trophy, we ask Panjab Warriors directly, ahead of tonight’s fan forum: Do you genuinely believe, based on his record to date, that Ashvir Singh Johal is capable of delivering the required level of improvement? At what point do the owners believe action regarding his position at the club becomes necessary? What benchmarks or timelines are in place before a decision is taken to remove him from his role?

Football supporters will always have opinions on managers, and debate is a natural and healthy part of the game. However, it is important to stress that rarely in Morecambe FC’s history have fans been as united as they are now in their anger and disappointment at the performances and management of the playing squad. This level of consensus cannot be ignored.

Finally, we wish to make our position clear ahead of tonight’s fans’ forum. If the serious issues surrounding Ashvir Singh Johal’s role and performance are not meaningfully addressed this evening, The 1920 Union will have no option but to begin discussions once again regarding protest action. This is not a step we take lightly, but continued inaction leaves supporters with little alternative.

We urge Panjab Warriors to engage openly with the fanbase tonight, address these concerns directly, and demonstrate that the long-term interests of Morecambe Football Club remain their priority.

THE GOALS:

Here’s how fans reacted as the 6-2 FA Trophy defeat to Kidderminster puts more pressure on Morecambe’s Ashvir Singh Johal…

@NL_Bible: Interviewing him is just pointless. Every interview is just him smirking whilst chatting bollocks

@thescreenster: Tactical decision to rest a goalkeeper šŸ˜‚ he’s not one bit serious. Shows he’s all talk. If he actually appreciated the away fans he’d have come over at least once since Wealdstone

@JmozzaKHFC: Genuinely up their with the worst sides Iā€™ve ever seen come to Aggborough. We couldā€™ve been in double figures. You were that bad, that Iā€™m disappointed we only scored one in the second half šŸ˜‚ Massive credit to your fans who travelled this evening, must be so tough at the moment

@JayKhfc: Tough one for you credit to those that travelled donā€™t think Iā€™ve seen a worse centre half pairing than that! Surely his times up ?

@_Owxn_h8: Give Jamal a rest, weā€™ve not played a game in more than 2 weeksā€¦

@Dan_1160: That scoreline flattered you too šŸ¤£ shouldā€™ve been about 9. The fact your manager canā€™t even come over to you lot at the end is disgraceful

@StephenJarmin: Absolutely awful. Usual nonsense about processes etc. Puzzled how he thinks we dominate ā€˜higher teamsā€™ I donā€™t think weā€™ve won one game against better teams! For the sake of the club and from his demeanour tonight for his own health he needs to go before Saturday.

@GazPar81: Hard to watch that, he is so far out of his depth it is scary. He looks clueless, mumbles his way through it and just comes across as a pathetic leader

@joelshooter47: Amazing hahaha uses the fact that weā€™ve been in similar situations twice before and ā€˜bounced backā€™ as something to take heart in. By his own admission – the third time weā€™ll be bouncing back from hugely embarrassing defeats! Just crazy heā€™s still in the job.

@Adam_Page442: Really feel for Morecambe fc fans, the last thing they need is for a manager completely out of his depth, acts like he doesnā€™t care. Sounds like heā€™s talking off a script most of time!! Show some fight! How can you expect your team to be passionate? When the manager shows nothing

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