| Match report Vs Bradford (Park Avenue) AFCVenue: Horsfall StadiumDate: 13-10-18Att: 529 (away fans: 80) |
Ed Williams grabs two late goals
Report: Phil Lench
Ed Williams banged home his ninth and tenth goals of the season at Bradford (Park Avenue) this afternoon to save the blushes of a Harriers side heading for their second defeat running. A boring first half from both sides didn’t garner well for an improved second half and our prospect was made worse when BPA took the lead just after the hour mark. Until then neither side had come near to scoring.
Thankfully Ed came to our rescue once again when we pulled the game level with ten minutes to go. Most Harriers fans would have been happy for the game to stay that way but Ed only went and grabbed a last gasp winner just before the end of normal time. Bradford could well feel agrieved at the result but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
As said the first half was forgettable with only BPA getting any sign of a sight on goal but wayward shooting wasn’t helping their cause. We didn’t even get close to wayward.
HT: 0 – 0
The second period wasn’t much better with the hosts still dictating the game but still not really troubling Brandon Hall in the Reds goal. We were troubling their keeper, Steven Drench, even less and it was getting worrying.
That worry became more intense when Bradford took the lead through a long awaited touch of class. Lewis Knight, who had looked dangerous all game, took a free kick is on the edge of the area that was then passed along by Jake Beesley towards Conor Branson who gave Hall no chance as he blasted the ball into the back of the net. It looked a big ask for a toothless Harriers to get back into the game and we could only hope to keep the score down to the single goal.
In response the Harriers boss, Neil MacFarlane, made a crucial change by taking off the struggling Joe Ironside and bringing on a more mobile Kane Richards. Instantly Richards combined with Ed Williams in taking the game to Bradford and we began to find more space in front of goal.
Ten minutes after Richards arrival another change was made with Joel Taylor replacing Sam Austin and then we began the great comeback.
A fine solo effort saw Williams grab the game by the scruff and he set off for goal evading challenges along the way before rifling the ball beyond Drench and into the back corner of the goal. We’ll settle for a point then. No we won’t!
With the game heading for a share of the points up popped Williams once again as he again set his sights for the heart of the goal. His shot took a slight deflection on it’s way into the net but who’s worrying about minor facts like that. He’d only gone and won the game for us.
With Chorley only managing a draw at Telford Utd the Harriers have now closed the gap to just five attainable points. Next Saturday we have a weakened FC Utd of Manchester at home following the dismissal of two of their players at home to Darlington today so that makes it a must win game especially with Chorley in FA Cup action.
FT: 1 – 2
Goal for Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC: Branson 61
Goals for Harriers: Williams 81, 89
Talk about the game here
Latest table and stats here
| Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Drench | ||||
| Ross | ||||
| Lowe | ||||
| Wroe |  | 58 | ||
| Killock | ||||
| Havern |  | |||
| Spencer |  | 93 | | |
| Branson |  | |||
| Beesley |  | 88 | ||
| O Johnson | | |||
| Knight | ||||
| Subs: | ||||
| Atkinson | ||||
| Toulson |  | 93 | | |
| Boshell |  | 58 | ||
| Nowakowski |  | 88 | ||
| Harriers | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Hall | ||||
| Vaughan | ||||
| Austin | | 79 | ||
| Horsfall | ||||
| Digie | ||||
| O’Connor | ||||
| Weeks | | |||
| Daniels | ||||
| Ironside | | 64 | ||
| Chambers | | 91 | ||
| Williams | | |||
| Subs: | ||||
| Palmer | ||||
| Richards | | 64 | ||
| Taylor | | 79 | ||
| Higginson | ||||
| Baxendale | | 91 | ||
| Referee: | ||||
| Mr Nathanael Cox | ||||
| Lancashire | ||||