27-08-22. Match report Vs Peterborough Sports

Ethan chases down a lost cause and scores

Report: Phil Lench

At the third time of asking the Harriers picked up their first home win of the season today against newly promoted Peterborough Sports. The 2-0 win came curtesy of a never say die challenge on their keeper from Ethan Freemantle in the first half then in the second half Nathan Lowe sealed the win with a low shot into the far corner of the net. The win made up for a draw against Leamington FC and a defeat on a Tuesday evening against Curzon Ashton.

Both Tom Owen-Evans and Yusifu Ceesay were missing from the starting eleven but the latter was on the bench along with Amari Morgan-Smith on his return from injury. Lining up for Sports was the former Reds crowd favourite Michael Gash and it was good to see him get a great welcome from his old crowd.

In warm sunshine, and a healthy audience, the game got underway with the Harriers in the ascendancy. It was Nathan Lowe that had the first sight of the goal for us when his free kick from distance went well over the bar. Lowe was there again soon after in a goalmouth scramble that saw him try to score along with Zak Brown with the follow up but neither went in. Our Man of the Match, Keziah Martin, also had a couple of attempts to score but the Sports defence dealt with them easily.

It was Gash that was to have the visitors first chance of scoring when a cross in from Jordan Nicholson just evaded his outstretched foot. The same move soon after saw Gashie coming even closer when, again, a Nicholson ball flew into the area but this time he scuffed his shot and the chance went begging. It took a few minutes after that for Freemantle to open the scoring.

The ball was played back by a Sports defender but it was too short. Peter Crook, in goal, came out to collect it but failed to account for Ethan bearing down on him like a runaway train to flick the ball from his grasp and watch as it rolled into the net.

Ashley Hemmings had a chance to get onto the scoresheet but his angled shot went well wide of Crooks far post. The final move of the half came Freemantles way again and again it was a ball that he chased down. This time though it ran out of play much to the relief of the Sports keeper. 

HT: 1 – 0

The second period started with a chance from an unlikely source when Caleb Richards found himself playing as a striker. in a change of róles Freemantle crossed the ball in for Caleb but his looping header went just wide of the post.

The game was sealed minutes after though when Martin won and then played the ball into the area. It came back out for Nathan Lowe on the edge of the box and he returned it in beyond the reach of Crook. In an effort to get back into the game the visitors began to make changes including Michael Gash being taken off and replaced by Mark Jones. We saw a shot from Brown saved easily.

Our first change came with Gabby Rogers somewhat surprisingly taking over for Martin and then a few minutes came a first appearance of the season for Amari Morgan-Smith coming on to great applause for Freemantle. Injury had kept the burly striker out but now he was back and ready to go.

We weren’t going to see any goals from him now as the game had turned into a training session. Peterborough began to see more of the ball but didn’t do anything with it and the game fizzled to the end without any further action of note for us but a Sports sub, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown, fired a ball across the face of Tom Palmers goal but no player in blur could make the all important connection.

On to one of our most un-productive away days next, on Monday, when we pop over to Brackley Town. This season they haven’t had the best of starts so hopefully our luck is about to turn.

FT: 2 – 0

Goals for Harriers: Freemantle 30, Lowe 53

The Harriers Online MotM is: Keziah Martin

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Palmer
Foulkes			83
Richards
Knight-Percival
Pearce
Byrne
Brown
Lowe
Freemantle			74
Hemmings
Martin			72
Subs:
Morgan-Smith			74
Ceesay
Margetson			83
Lissimore
Rogers			72
Peterborough Sports	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Crook
Bazeley
Johnson
Fox
R Jones
Kennedy
Sembie-Ferris			65
Sherif
Gash			65
Hilliard			54
Nicholson
Subs:
M Jones			65
McCammon			54
Fryatt
Jarvis
Marsh-Brown			65
Referee:
Mr Jonathon Maskrey
Staffordshire