Harriers cruise through in the Trophy

The Harriers cruised their way into the next round of the FA Trophy at a steamy wet Aggborough today in front of a healthy crowd as they put four goals past neighbours AFC Telford with no reply and, to be honest, it could so easily have been twice that amount with the chances that we spurned and the penalty that we missed.

There was a change to the side with Ryan Croasdale missing and replaced by Ashley Carter while on the bench was our returning midfielder Darryl Knights following his signing for us from Solihull during the week.

The game kicked off in near darkness as Winter began to make itself known and, adding in the steam from the Santa Specials, it made the spectacle very atmospheric.  Telford took control for the first ten minutes of the game but without really threatening too much with their only real chances going over the bar or via a free kick into a crowd of Harriers defenders doing their job.

Slowly the Harriers found their feet and began to dominate the game.  That culminated in a penalty after Zaine Francis-Angol went on a foray into the Telford half of the pitch and just as he got into the area he was bought clattering down by a Telford man.  The referee instantly called it and pointed to the spot whereupon Tyrell Waite picked up the ball and placed it on the spot.  Sadly his take was rubbish and James Montgomery dropped down to easily scoop it up as other Harriers forwards rushed in to pounce on any possibility of him dropping it.

Waite doubled his miss soon after when he collected a ball played out towards the corner flag but instead of passing to the better placed Andre Brown he opted to send it high, wide and out for a throw in.  Luckily for us Arthur Gnahoua wasn't going to be so profligate in front of the goal and his surge into the area, leaving defenders in his wake, was a joy to watch as he rattled the ball home with the venom that should be used for penalties.

Seven minutes later and Telford were on their way to being dead and buried.  We had just been penalised out on the right side of the pitch when Elton N'Gwatala had been deemed to have fouled a Telford player even though said player was already falling before Elton had got near to him.  When a similar thing happened on the other wing with Gnahoua tumbling over on the wet grass the referee awarded a free kick against Telford much to the annoyance of their one eyed fans.  The ball was floated over and at the far post was waiting Keith Lowe who jumped higher than any other to power the ball into the back of the net.

The last chance of the half came to Telford when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area but the Harriers keeper, Sam Hornby, pushed the ball way as it quickly dipped dangerously under the bar.

At the start of the second half Sam Austin came on in place of Arthur Gnahoua.  It had been mentioned that Arthur had been under the weather before the game so it was decided not to continue with him for the remainder of the game.

Telford must have had a bit of a talking too at the break because they came out more up for it but possibly too much up for it.  The tackles began to come crunching in and a couple of names went into the book.

Their first chance of the half came for the once highly Jon-Paul Kissock when he sent his shot wide.  Up until then he had been easily contained by the Reds defence.  Dave Hibbert also had a volley well saved but then the rain began the come down heavily and their momentun was ended.

Tyrell Waite then had a gold tinged chance to get himself on the scoresheet but it obviously wasn't his day and when he beat the Telford defence hands down to chase a ball into the area he took the wrong option of trying to lob the keeper rather than place the ball on a plate for Andre Brown running alongside him.  Waites ball went high over but also well wide of the goal.

Mani Dieseruvwe came on in place of Brown soon after and he also had a glorious chance to add to our tally when he too ran onto a through ball but then fired straight at the keeper.  It didn't take him long to get on the scoresheet though when, soon after Darryl Knights came on for Waite, it was the returning man that played a sublime ball forward for Tyrone Williams to drift on to and take it to the bye line.  His equally superb cross to the far post found the head of Mani as he powered forward to glance the ball into the net.  With the Harriers 3-0 up the Telford fans began to head for the exits.

Ten minutes it was game over and more Telford fans leaving the ground.  We were handed a corner that was taken by the Man of the Match James McQuilkin who, just like his defensive partner Lowe, rose high at the far post to nod the ball home without being bothered with any defenders challenging him.

The fans were hoping for more goals but it seems that enough was enough and with the rain coming down even harder it seemed the attraction of a dry dressing room was uppermost in the players minds.

We now go into the draw for the 2nd round on Monday and the game will be played on January 14th meaning that our away game at Stalybridge will now need to be re-arranged.

 Goals for Harriers: Gnahoua 28, Lowe 35, Dieseruvwe 57, Tunnicliffe 84

REFEREE:

Mr R Hulme Somerset