07-05-23. Match report Vs Kings Lynn Town. Play off semi-final

Harriers ruin the Kings weekend and surge into the play off final

Report: Harriershane

After Tuesday night’s success at Alfreton Town the Harriers were rewarded with a near 300 mile round trip to Norfolk where they were to take on King’s Lynn Town in a 12.30pm Sunday kick off. Even given the nightmarish time and distance Harriers fans still travelled in significant numbers to support an unchanged side that put paid to Lynn Chairman Stephen Cleeve’s plan to “invite you to next week’s coronation ceremony”.

Harriers’ penchant for starting early came to the fore once again with Amari Morgan-Smith crossing for Zak Brown in the opening seconds; the unmarked former Alvechurch man unable to find the target as he stretched to get some kind of contact on the ball.

All of the early running came from Harriers, with Alex Penny heading a Joe Leesley delivery just over before Ash Hemmings also fired over. Moments later Harriers would be handed the perfect opportunity to take the lead. A ball on the halfway line ricocheted behind the home defence, with Hemmings scampering in behind and beating goalkeeper Tommy Dixon-Hodge to the ball, the custodian couldn’t prevent him from going round him, so brought him down.

After a trademark run up Hemmings dispatched it goalwards but the net would not ripple; Dixon-Hodge redeeming himself by diving the right way to save the spot kick low to his right. You would be forgiven for thinking it would be one of those days, as Dixon-Hodge pulled off another very good save to deny Hemmings but the breakthrough would come, and it was redemption.

Leesley set Hemmings away and, despite being forced wide, he managed to roll the ball past Dixon-Hodge and send the travelling support delirious as the ball nestled into the bottom corner. Tails up and a party atmosphere bubbling, a pin was firmly driven into that particular balloon just three minutes later as Ben Stephens met a teasing cross with a bullet header from close range.

Lynn were then in the ascendancy, Kyle Callan-McFadden heading wide and Christian Dibble forced into a couple of smart saves.

Towards the end of the half Harriers snapped out of their malaise and were only denied on the stroke of half time with a top save from Dixon-Hodge, leaping at full strength to turn a Morgan-Smith header over the bar.

In first half injury time it was the irrepressible Hemmings at it again, forcing another credible save from the Lynn keeper who only joined the club in February.

HT: 1 – 1

Level pegging, and faced with an inspired goalkeeping display, the mood in the away end remained one of cautious hope rather than expectation. Nine minutes into the second half though the Harriers would regain the lead following some excellent football.

Shane Byrne was involved on the edge of the box, feeding Zak Brown who attracted three defenders to the ball, like moths to a light. Scampering on the overlap as he so often does was Caleb Richards whose delivery was low and true towards Morgan-Smith, in space ten yards out, he finished low and first time. Even Dixon-Hodge had no chance.

On the hour mark the Reds doubled their advantage from a likely source. Leesley took a short corner to Brown who clipped the ball in where the captain, Shane Byrne, directed an excellent header to the far post to send the Harriers contingent into dreamland.

With twenty minutes to play the Harriers received a let off as Dibble struggled to gather a shot from range. As everyone in the ground waited for the net to bulge the rebound was somehow put wide but the forward’s blushes were spared by a late offside flag. Sympathy, perhaps.

Less than a minute later the impressive Brown turned goalscorer as Harriers regained possession with himself and Hemmings left two on two with a high home defensive line. Brown made an excellent intelligent run and was picked out beautifully by Hemmings. Running onto the ball, and carrying it into the box, Brown drew the goalkeeper before sliding it past him at the near post for his just rewards for an excellent dynamic display.

It completely knocked the stuffing out of the home side, who ran out of ideas as Harriers fans began to party early.

At the time of writing we are still awaiting ticket details for Sunday’s all or nothing clash away at Brackley Town. Given the capacity of St James’ Park, you can expect a mad scramble for the reported 700 tickets that will be available. On your marks, get set…

FT: 1 – 4

Goal for Kings Lynn: Stephens 6

Goals for Harriers: Hemmings 23, Morgan-Smith 54, Byrne 61, Brown 71

The Harriers Online MotM is: Ashley Hemmings

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Kings Lynn Town	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Dixon-Hodge
Oxlade-Chamberlain
A Jones			72
Callan-McFadden
Crowther
Coulson
Clunan
Widdrington			63
Omatayo
Barratt
Stephens			65
Subs:
P Jones
Denton			72
Hargreaves			63
Hughes
Ponticelli			65
Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Dibble
Foulkes
Richards
Penny
Pearce
Morrison
Leesley			86
Brown
Morgan-Smith			88
Hemmings			92
Byrne
Subs:
Palmer
Knight-Percival			88
Lissimore			86
Bearne			92
Hall
Referee:
Mr Jamie O’Connor
Chesterfield