12-01-19 – Report – Kidderminster Harriers 1 Boston Utd 2

Tippy Tappy doesn’t win games at this level

Report: Harriershane

It felt like 1976 once again as Boston walked away with a victory that no doubt gave them “More Than A Feeling”. The feeling for Harriers however, under interim manager/chairman/owner/insert job here Colin Gordon was one of fury, disappointment and pure bafflement.

Making his return to the team was Dan Bradley, whilst West Bromwich Albion loanee Nick Clayton-Phillips took his place on the bench. Also returning was Joe Ironside, ‘fresh’ from a failed loan spell at York City. Former Coventry defender Aaron Phillips was handed a start in a move that saw Sam Austin employed in a more attacking role.

The first action of the game yielded the first goal of the game which went the way of the visitors. Declan Weeks, no doubt keen to impress his manager by trying to “play the right way”, sought to dribble the ball out of defence between two attackers. Duly dispossessed, Max Wright made no mistake in dispatching his gift past Brandon Hall.

If you were expecting the Harriers to come roaring back you would be left disappointed as Boston grew into the game, looking more and more like the home team. Ben Davies, the former Harrier from the turn of the century, was creating havoc in the Harriers defence with good balls in designed to allow them to play off Brad Abbot.

It took Harriers until the halfway point of the half to create a chance worthy of note; Phillips whipped in a cross that Joe Ironside flicked on but wide of George Willis’ upright. Moments later Harriers should’ve been level with Fraser Horsfall’s header being superbly kept out by Willis, with the help of his crossbar. With that, Harriers’ attacking efforts faded away, but not before the returning Ironside got on the scoresheet.

Out wide Dan Bradley managed to fashion an opportunity which flashed across the face of goal where Ironside was lurking to poke into the net from a matter of inches. Shortly after a contentious penalty was awarded to Boston, sending everyone of a Harriers persuasion into a fit of rage. Pumped into the area, Josh Heaton appeared to be fouled as he got something on the ball. Somehow, the referee held the opinion that Heaton had been the offender with Allot in a feigned heap on the floor.

Ben Davies stepped up and leathered the penalty in via the bar, post and bar again. Despite the combined Harriers fury at the perceived injustice of the penalty award you would be hard pressed to argue that Boston did not deserve their half time lead.

HT: 1 – 2

The second half started with more optimism for Harriers without really testing Willis in the Boston goal. Messrs Austin, Heaton, Bradley and Ironside all had sighters of varying difficulty but nothing that unduly worried the visiting keeper.

The questionable officiating was being called out again on the hour mark as Jay Rollins was adjudged to be onside, despite standing a considerable distance offside; fortunately for the Harriers he wasted the chance by skewing his effort wide.

The WBA loanee Nick Clayton-Phillips earned a home debut and a cordial welcome to the National League North when he was poleaxed by a visiting defender, picking up their fifth yellow card of the day. In the ensuing handbags Kane Richards also saw yellow.

With the chance to finish Harriers off Gavin Allott wasted a great chance but that was forgotten with the third and final flashpoint of this game.

A hopeful ball, pinged towards Ironside, looked for all the world that it had hit a defensive hand with nothing given by the referee. Absolutely incensed, Richards and Lee Vaughan surrounded the referee, who produced a straight red card for Richards, presumably for foul and abusive language.

Colin Gordon, looking pensive, watched on as Harriers slumped to another defeat which was not taken well by the locals, especially given his grandiose rhetoric of “playing the right way”. With the squad allegedly down to bare bones as it is we await to see what punishments may be metered for a tunnel fracas at full time.

What we do know is that it’s AFC Telford away next Saturday, a venue where Harriers traditionally travel well to due to its proximity. How well will we travel after the fare served today? What is for sure, is that performances need to pick up and there now is nobody to blame, apart from the manager. Who is also the chairman.

FT: 1 – 2

Goal for Harriers: Ironside

Goals for Boston Utd: Wright 5, Davies 39 (pen)

The Harriers Online MotM is: Joe Ironside

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Hall
Vaughan
Phillips			83
Weeks
Heaton
Horsfall
Austin			56
Penn
Ironside
Chambers			72
Bradley
Subs:
Richards			72
Butterfield
Baxendale			83
Clayton-Phillips			56
Higginson
Boston Utd	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Willis
Davies
Jackson
Thanoj
Gibbens
Qualter
Wafula
Abbott
Allott			92
Rollins			79
Wright			89
Subs:
Malkowski
Chettle			89
Slew			92
Harris			79
Walker
Referee:
Mr James Bell
Sheffield