22-10-19 – Report – Kidderminster Harriers 2 Farsley Celtic 0

Reds re-ignite the season with a win

Report: Phil Lench

The Harriers got their ‘new’ season off to a winning start with a hard earned 2-0 victory at home to Farsley Celtic this evening after the match start was delayed for fifteen minutes due to the Farsley coach being stuck in motorway traffic. What’s fifteen minutes when we’ve had to wait over three weeks for a game?

There were four changes to the team that turned out months ago at Spennymoor Town with  Cameron Gregory back in goal and replacing Tom Palmer while Richard Peniket replaced Jaiden White and Ashley Hemmings came in for his debut in place of another new signing, Brandon Diau. The big newcomer had picked up a groin strain in training so we’ll have to wait a little longer to see him in action.

Farsley arrived at Aggborough at the top of the form table and five straight league wins to their credit but it was hard to see how they had gained that. They were slightly agricultural in style and took every opportunity to harass the referee. They were fast to break though and caused us problems defensively all evening. 

It was Hemmings, for us, who had the first sight of goal when he cut in and fired towards goal but it was straight at the visiting keeper, Kyle Trenerry. Our next foray forward resulted in a goal.

The ball was played into the area and when Ashley Chambers collected the ball just inside the box his ankle was clipped by Tom Allan and he went to ground. The Farsley players swarmed around the ref and tried to stop the ball being placed on the spot and for some reason known only to himself the ref didn’t seem interested in punishing any of them. Up stepped Correy Davidson, not Chambers, to take the spot kick and sent the ball beyond Trenerry with a left footed strike to convert our first goal from the spot this season.

Although the game was fast paced real chances to score were few and far between. Chambers was the next with a chance to score after he pounced onto a mis-placed header to go forward with the ball but he fired wide of the target.

The visitors had their chance with a shot well over the bar from Dave Syers but, apart from a lot of bickering, they offered very little to show why they’re third in the table.

HT: 1 – 0

The second half Farsley came out with a little more urgency and the Harriers defenders had to stand strong as they tried to work an opening or two. Jimmy Spencer had a shot go over the bar and then the Reds took control once again.

With more space at the back of the Farsley defence we began to take advantage of that and the long ball became to order of the day as Chambers tried to run onto them. Sadly most of the long balls were too far away to catch up with and that plan wasn’t quite working.

A moment of panic interrupted our game for a while when a spell of ping pong in the area saw Dave Syers and then Tom Allan taking stabs at Tyler Waltons low cross but thankfully not connecting. Cameron Gregory then made a brilliant save when he turned a free kick from Jordan Richards around the post in the sixty fourth minute.

It was time to start making changes following that and Farsley bought on the useful looking Akeel Francis for Syers while the Harriers sent on Ed Williams for Correy Davidson a few minutes later. It took just six minutes more for Williams to seal the game for the Harriers.

Ashley Hemmings got the ball to the byeline and crossed the ball in. It evaded everyone and then, in a ruck of players, the ball ended up slowly crossing over the line. At first most fans thought it might have been an own goal but it turned out to be Ed Williams who had got that all important final touch on it.

Farsley knew they were beaten and seemed content to just keep the ball away from us although Milan Butterfield did come close to scoring from the edge of the area after Chambers had played the ball back to him.

There was one last rally from the visitors when substitute Nathan Cartman tried his luck from distance but again Gregory saved well to earn the Reds a welcome clean sheet and three points.

FT: 2 – 0

Goals for Harriers: Davidson (p) 18, E Williams 77

The Harriers Online MotM is: Richard Peniket

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Gregory
Austin
Davidson			77
R Williams
Moyo
Johnson
Weeks
Butterfield
Chambers
Hemmings			87
Peniket
Subs:
Palmer
E Williams			77
Prosser
Shenton			87
Higginson
Farsley Celtic	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Trenerry
Richards
Allan
Higgins
Ellis			74
Clayton
Walton			74
Atkinson
Spencer
Syers			64
Hayhurst
Subs:
Wynne
Parkin			74
Cartman			74
Francis			64
Coghill
Referee:
Mr Mark Howes
Birmingham