| Match report Vs York CityVenue: AggboroughDate: 16-02-19Att: 1598 (away fans: 147) |
Harriers hopes dashed with two killer goals
Report: Phil Lench
Following the fans elation and euphoria against Chester FC last time out, when the team roared to their first win under new manager Mark Yates, it was back down to earth today with this scrappy defeat at home to a struggling York City. Gone was the encouraging blend of ‘playing the right way’ and a more direct style for a completely direct style that might produce results quicker but not when you play a lone striker with no support.
With Declan Weeks out injured, Billy Daniels was forced back into the team possibly a week too early, so that resulted in very little on a creative note and the more direct style. Milan Butterfield is too raw for the job and an early injury to him didn’t help matters although he carried on valiantly. Not so Ashley Chambers who left the field after twenty minutes due to the effects of a sickness bug within the club this week.
Kane Richards came on for him, rather than the better option of Ed Williams, and from that moment the game looked lost: summed up by Richards chasing a great through ball down but going via the Wrekin to reach it and allowing it to go out of play.
With neither side bothering about troubling the goalkeepers it was a scrappy spectacle to watch and it wasn’t until half a hour in did we see the first attempt on goal. Attempt is a bit of a misnomer because it actually went in. Kallum Griffiths, who had been getting the better of our defenders, cut inside from the right and struck an unstoppable left foot shot over the head of Brandon Hall in the Harriers goal.
We tried, meekly, to claw the goal back but with Richards playing miles away from Ironside there was no one to take on Joes knock downs from the balls floated in from fifty yards down the pitch. The half ended with plenty of effort form both sides but only the one goal to show for it.
HT: 0 – 1
It was hoped that a dressing room talking to by Yates would have sent the Reds out with renewed vigour and the urge to get back into the game as soon as possible but it didn’t happen. We still struggled to get anything worthwhile going while City seemed content with their lot and tightened up at the back accordingly.
On the hour mark Ed Williams came on in place of the tiring Daniels and straight away the difference became visible. It was as if a spark had been struck and suddenly we were swarming over City in the search for that all important goal that would get us back in the game.
Williams tested Adam Bartlett, in the York goal, with a shot from outside the area and then a free kick was awarded that Liam McAlinden floated into to the goalmouth. It fell into a ruck of players and, thankfully, it was Ironside that got the all important touch to draw the Reds level.
Now inspired we began to go in search of a second goal and all three points. Nick Clayton-Phillips curled an effort over the junction of the upright and the crossbar while Ironside saw a header go just wide of the target at the far post. Then York tested Brandon Hall for only the second time in the game.
Only eight minutes after our goal, and non stop Harriers pressure since, City broke through our exposed defence as the impressive Scott Burgess lifted the ball over the head of Clayton-Phillips and then rounded him to fire it into the net and seal the victory.
This time they did shut up shop and all we managed after was a deflected shot from Ironside that wrong-footed Bartlett and went wide of the post anyway. Next week we face a tough game up at Blyth Spartans and we’re going to have to play a whole sight better than today if we hope to come away with something from there.
FT: 1 – 2
Goal for Harriers: Ironside 74
Goals for York City: Griffiths 30, Burgess 82
The Harriers Online MotM is: Ryan Johnson
Talk about the game here
Latest table and stats here
| Harriers | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Hall | ||||
| Austin | ||||
| Taylor |  | |||
| Daniels |  | 61 | ||
| Horsfall | ||||
| Johnson | ||||
| Clayton-Phillips | ||||
| Butterfield | | |||
| Ironside |  | | ||
| Chambers |  | 22 | ||
| McAlinden | ||||
| Subs: | ||||
| Weaver | ||||
| Williams |  | 61 | ||
| Penn | ||||
| Higginson | ||||
| Richards |  | 22 | ||
| York City | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Bartlett | ||||
| Griffiths | | |||
| Ferguson | ||||
| Moké | | |||
| Murfin | ||||
| Newton | ||||
| York | ||||
| McLaughlin | ||||
| Burrow | ||||
| Burgess | | | ||
| Kempster | ||||
| Subs: | ||||
| Whitley | ||||
| Law | ||||
| Bencherif | ||||
| Harris | ||||
| Parkin | ||||
| Referee: | ||||
| Mr Aaron Jackson | ||||
| Liverpool | ||||