07-12-19 – Report – Kidderminster Harriers 1 Boston Utd 3

Yet another poor performance from the Harriers

Report: Phil Lench

Again hopes were raised that the arrival of Jimmy Shan, as the latest incumbent of the Harriers hotseat, would inspire the team to a long overdue win but again it proved to be yet another false dawn as we were outplayed and argued by a Boston Utd team set on influencing the referee at every chance.

In the corresponding game last season Boston came to us with the same tactics and it was something that we should have expected and prepared for.

We were forced into another change following the midweek game against Gateshead with Richard Peniket joining Ed Williams in the treatment room. We did have Milan Butterfield back from injury though so that was a bonus. Alex Prosser made his first start in a league game since he scored at Blyth Spartans back in early September as he replaced Peniket.

The game started out tentatively with both sides looking to make the first move. That was Boston just minutes after having a free kick blocked. A penalty was given away by Cliff Moyo after he appeared to be tripped by an incessantly complaining Jake Wright and then falling onto Wrights foot to bring him down too. A 50/50 call but the ref was always going to give it in their favour. Jordan Thewlis stepped up and put the ball powerfully past Will Mannion in the Reds goal.

Ironically it was Moyo who was to draw us level twelve minutes later when a well placed corner kick just clipped the head of Ryan Johnson but then fell for Moyo to muscle the ball home past Peter Crook in goal for Boston.

Our heads were up and we could have grabbed that all important second goal soon after when Correy Davidson fired across the keeper but the ball went narrowly wide of the goal. A few minutes later injury reared its ugly head once more when for the second game in a row we lost a player during the first half. Ashley Hemmings was clumsily bought down by Alex Penny and received treatment but a few minutes later he was on the floor again and unable to continue. Ollie Shenton replaced him.

With the momentum gone, mainly due to the Boston histrionics, the half fizzled out to almost nothing save for a four minute rally towards the end when we again found our rhythm and tried to grab another goal before the break. Our best chance fell for Sam Austin when he volleyed just over from a Davidson cross.

HT: 1 – 1

The start of the second half saw that renewed energy continue and this time it was allied with better passing. In the first half many of our passes were going well astray even though the pre-pass build up was there. Now we were finding our targets better and it looked a matter of time before we scored. Boston were there for the taking and first Ashley Chambers went close and, again, Austin with a shot that got deflected onto the bar.

Sadly it took just a moment of indecision at the back to mess it all up.

A deep Boston cross came in but wasn’t cleared cleanly and it fell for the former Harriers loanee Dominic Knowles to scramble the ball around the post after it had looked more likely to be going out for a corner.

Our heads dropped and Boston harangued the referee even more.

Boston took control of the game from that point on and never looked like letting go. Mannion was relentlessly tested by the Boston strikers but only some great keeping from him kept us in the game. It was time for some new faces and on came Brandon Diau in place of the, once again, disappointing Chambers. Even though Chambers continues to be poor he was the only recognised striker on the pitch for us and one wondered why he was dispensed with to leave us with none.

The third, and long overdue, goal arrived two minutes from the end of normal time when substitute Jonathon Wafula came on and scored with his first touch of the ball.

Thankfully the game came to an end with many Harriers fans having already made their exit from yet another one of our ‘poorest games in years’. We slip down to nineteenth place for yet another low in our past history and, to be honest, it doesn’t look as if this team can improve without major financials and major signings.

Guiseley on Tuesday evening and we have to accept that it may not get any better.

FT: 1 – 3

Goal for Harriers: Moyo 19

Goals for Boston Utd: Thewlis 7 (p), Knowles 50, Wafula 88

The Harriers Online MotM is: Alex Prosser

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Mannion
Austin
Davidson
R Williams
Moyo
Johnson
Weeks
Butterfield
Chambers			80
Hemmings			38
Prosser
Subs:
Palmer
Shenton			38
Digie
Neligwa
Diau			80
Boston Utd	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Crook
Penny
Whittle
Platt
Bird
Shiels
Wright			67
Abbott
Knowles			76
Thewlis			87
Rollins
Subs:
Southwell			67
Rowe			76
Ainge
Walker
Wafula			87
Referee:
Mr Richard Holmes
Preston