05-11-19 – Report – Kidderminster Harriers 2 Kings Lynn Town 4

Shooting Stars first half. Damp Squib in the second

Report: Phil Lench

Typical of Bonfire Night the Harriers turned in a display that was all oohs and aahs in the first half as we matched the injury hit, part timers Kings Lynn Town man for man and goal for goal but the second half was just a total damp squib as the rocket that should have been put up their bums never happened.

With an unchanged side from the one that drew admirably at York City, and continued a good run of form, the Harriers were expected to beat a Kings Lynn side that had been suffering from a weakened team for the past few weeks. Included in their team was the former Harriers favourite Michael Gash looking a little slimmer that he did in his time with us.

In the first half we raced into an early lead through Ashley Hemmings when he curled a cross from Correy Davidson over the Lynn keeper, Alex Street, in the sixth minute. With Davidson getting all the room he needed down the left it looked like we wouldn’t be long in adding another but Lynn had other ideas.

They had come to Aggborough intent on giving us a game and within four minutes they’d drawn level. The Harriers keeper, Cameron Gregory, flapped when Chris Henderson headed home from close range after a cross from Aaron Jones. The visitors continued to push forward in search of a second goal and it needed a smart save from Gregory to get down low to keep out Adam Marriott’s shot from the edge of the box.

We responded with a chance for Hemmings that Street saved equally well and it was end to end stuff that was keeping the fans on the edge of their seats. We took the lead again on twenty two minutes when Richard Peniket sent in a rocket of a shot from the right side of the area that rebounded off the inside of the far post, skidded along the line then turned towards the back of the net.

Declan Weeks nearly made it three just past the half hour mark with a drive from almost the same position, but this time the ball clipped the outside of the post and went wide. Then we fell asleep again at the back and allowed Lynn to draw level once again.

Again we were caught napping at the back when the diminutive defender Rory McAuley had the simple task of heading home Michael Clunan’s corner. Gregory flapped again and the defence in front of him just stood watching as the ball went in.

Now that he’d scored Peniket was on fire and he should have grabbed himself a second goal when he ducked down to meet a cross but his header was brilliantly pushed away to safety by Street. Back came Kings Lynn once again and chances came and went for Clunan and Henderson but this time they missed the target with their shots going wide. 

HT: 2 – 2

Oh dear. What happened at halftime to change the Harriers from a team working hard to win to one that struggled to put two passes together. Had someone thrown water on the bonfire?

The Lynn manager, Ian Culverhouse, had done the right thing for his side in nullifying the threat down the wings from us and Sam Austin and Correy Davidson rarely saw the ball again. They pressed us more in midfield and stopped our forwards from getting forward. It’s hard to remember a single shot on goal for us in the second half.

King’s Lynn took the lead for the first time on fifty minutes when more poor defending saw the ball come out to Adam Marriott on the edge of the area. Ryan Johnson tried to block his shot and missed while Gregory saw it too late and dived into thin air as it went into the net to give them a 3-2 lead.

There should have been another goal for the visitors three minutes later but Gregory saved well to keep out Michael Gash after he’d got in behind the defence and tried to crown his return to Aggborough with a goal. He had another chance later on but again the on loan Shrewsbury Town keeper easily collected Gash’s poor free kick.

Kings Lynn sealed the three points soon after when Ryan Jarvis tapped the ball home from close range following more poor defensive work and that’s when the substitutes came on in an effort to save the day. Oliver Shenton and Alex Prosser were almost invisible while Brandon Diau fell over a lot.

The part time, injury hit team carried on in search of more goals and could easily have added at least a fifth when Marriott forced Gregory into another decent save as he flipped the ball over the bar but they’ll be happy with their showing tonight while us?

FT: 2 – 4

Goals for Harriers: Hemmings 6, Peniket 22

Goals for Kings Lynn Town: Henderson 10, McAuley 34, Marriott 50, Jarvis 65

The Harriers Online MotM is: Milan Butterfield

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Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Gregory
Austin
Davidson
Butterfield
Moyo
Johnson
Weeks			85
E Williams			69
Chambers			72
Hemmings
Peniket
Subs:
Palmer
Prosser			85
Higginson
Shenton			69
Diau			72
Kings Lynn Town	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Street
Jones
Fox
Jarvis
Barrows
McAuley
Clunan
Richards
Gash
Marriott			92
Henderson			81
Subs:
Kelly			92
Carey			81
Payne
Stewart
Hawkins
Referee:
Mr Kristian Silcock
Liverpool