05-11-22. Match report Vs Darlington FC

Harriers downed by high flying Quakers

Report: Dan Harper

Once again a poor Kidderminster Harriers side was punished by a quality-ridden Darlington FC side as the Aggborough outfit succumbed to a 2-1 defeat despite a late glimpse of hope.

Harriers had their second-best spell of the game for the first ten minutes as they started on the front foot when, in just the second minute, following a knock down from Amari Morgan-Smith, Ashley Hemmings was played in to unleash an effort from the edge of the area where Tommy Taylor, in the Darlington goal, saved superbly as the ball headed for the corner.

Just four minutes later the home side had a major chance as Ethan Freemantle drove an effort at goal which saw the shot parried into the path of Hemmings who had the goal at his mercy but his touch took it away from him allowing the defender to recover and see his shot blocked to the Harriers supporters frustration.

Darlington, the away side, would have their first major chance seven minutes later as the clock struck thirteen when, out of nothing, Jack Lambert hit a great effort at goal which cannoned of Tom Palmer’s upright to the relief of him and the Harriers defence.

The away side piled on the pressure in the last ten minutes of the first half which saw Jacob Hazel denied twice in the thirty sixth and thirty seventh minute before the pressure, and a stupid back pass from Nathan Lowe, would be rewarded as Mark Beck, five minutes later, curled in a great finish into the corner out of reach of Palmer.

HT: 0 – 1

The Harriers came out for the second half nowhere near the way they did for the first half and it took until the hour mark for a chance when a cross came into the area that fell to Morgan-Smith who struck it well only for it to be palmed away well by Taylor in the Darlington goal.

As the clock struck the sixty eighth minute mark, and Harriers still hadn’t appeared to have turned up,  they were punished as Mark Beck converted in a scramble in the six yard box for the side now in second place to double their lead and make the game seem well gone for the home side.

It wouldn’t be the last of what was becoming relentless pressure from a momentous Darlington side as, in the eightieth minute, it should have been three as Lambert fired just wide of Palmer’s net. However, a minute later, out of nothing a ball was played into the Harriers box from Hemmings cross after a rare attack which fell to substitute Jack Bearne to convert and give the team a glimmer of hope.

It would however come to nothing despite a Tom Leak header agonisingly dropping wide from a last minute corner and substitute Zak Brown’s ricochet narrowly missing the goal as the home side would fall to another loss following a poor performance.

In terms of any form of MotM if I was to give it to anyone it would be substitute Bearne who looked lively in the fifteen minute spell that he was on and looked one of the only real threats alongside lively Zak Brown as was seen by the only Harriers goal.

Harriers will now travel to Boston Utd on Tuesday evening as they look to once again bounce back.

FT: 1 – 2

Goal for Harriers: Bearne

Goals for Darlington: Beck 40, 66

The Harriers Online MotM is: Jack Bearne

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Palmer
Starbuck
Richards
Leak
Pearce
Lowe
Rogers			69
Martin			85
Morgan-Smith
Hemmings
Freemantle			57
Subs:
Ceesay
Brown			69
Margetson
Bearne			57
Burgess			85
Darlington FC	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Taylor
Dodds
Sukar
Leesley
Purver
Hedley
Felix			90
Moke
Hazel			88
Beck
Lambert			92
Subs:
Liddle			88
Barbosa
Rose
Rivers			92
Lawlor			90
Referee:
Mr Neil Pratt
Cheltenham