| Match report Vs Curzon AshtonVenue: AggboroughDate: 28-11-20Att: 0000 (away fans: 000) |
Another Sammy Austin screamer gives the Reds the points
Report: Harriershane
Curzon Ashton were today’s visitors to Aggborough and they were hampered by the loss of frontman Darren Stephenson to suspension. Their manager Steve Cunningham handed a first start to Jude Oyibo and was hoping for a sterner defensive performance after he bemoaned their vulnerability from set pieces.
From Russ Penn’s perspective Alex Penny was missing due to illness with Cliff Moyo deputising in his place. For those who accessed the stream they missed the first quarter of an hour of the game due to technical gremlins. When it did eventually come on it became clear that it would be Harriers who would have to make most of the running here, with the Nash content to sit off them and absorb the pressure.
The first chance that we saw came, perhaps unsurprisingly, as a Harriers chance; Omari Sterling-James heading straight at the Curzon keeper Cameron Mason without really troubling him. The visitors went straight down the other end and perhaps should have gone a goal to the good when the ball fell to Connor Hughes centrally, but a heroic block from Max Taylor denied the Curzon man.
The game was a turgid affair in truth, lacking in any real quality until Sam Austin grabbed what would ultimately be the winner, and what a way to win it.
Bogged down slightly in the final third, with Ashley Hemmings and Austin trying to make headway, a fortunate bounce presented itself to Austin who controlled it and unleashed a half volley that flew past Cam Mason into the top corner. Such is his renaissance this season that he is compiling a goal of the season competition on his own, and well deserved it is too.
After that Curzon took a less defensive stance but were still being a tough nut to crack and the teams went into the break with the Harriers holding onto their slight lead.
HT: 1 – 0
If you joined the second half expecting the game to open up a little more you’d be sorely mistaken as it continued to be a disjointed affair and a midfield slugfest. Indeed, it took six minutes of the second half for a half chance to present itself with Cliff Moyo perhaps getting over excited in shanking wide an effort from range.
Credit to them though, as Curzon Ashton started to come forward a little more in search of the equaliser. Dominic Knowles, the former player and a former scourge of Harriers for Harrogate Town amongst others, snatched a shot over the bar before he was again involved causing a bit of last-ditch defensive action after Matty Waters had found him.
With twelve minutes remaining Knowles should have scored. If George Willis’ howler on Tuesday found its way onto a “Gaffes and Goals” VHS (kids, have you asked your parents yet?), then this miss will surely follow hot on its heels. The visitors’ top scorer with six goals this season found himself presented with an open goal from two yards out following some excellent wide play. Although the ball was marginally behind him, he managed to reign it in but contrived to backheel the ball wide.
A sign that it would be Harriers’ day, perhaps, as he surely will not get an easier chance this season. Sub Craig Mahon would test the Harriers defence with another fizzing ball across goal, but it was met by a red shirt before Jacob Hanson snatched an effort wide as we approached injury time.
Despite a handful of free kicks launched into the box the Harriers managed to weather the storm and make it eight games unbeaten and consolidate their position as the second best defence in the league so far, behind only Boston United who have conceded a goal less but have only played five games.
Hopefully we’ll see a more positive showing against Kettering Town at Aggborough on Tuesday evening and also, hopefully, the club would have got these streaming problems sorted out too.
FT: 1 – 0
Goal for Harriers: Austin 36
The Harriers Online MotM is: Max Taylor
Talk about the game here
Latest table and stats here
| Harriers | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Simpson |  | |||
| Moyo | ||||
| Richards | ||||
| Taylor | | |||
| Lowe | ||||
| Montrose | ||||
| Austin |  |  | 88 | |
| Maxwell | ||||
| Morgan-Smith |  | 64 | ||
| Hemmings |  | 77 | ||
| Sterling-James | ||||
| Subs: | ||||
| Palmer | ||||
| Kellermann |  | 77 | ||
| White | ||||
| Prosser |  | 64 | ||
| Arthur |  | 88 | ||
| Curzon Ashton | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Mason | ||||
| Hanson | ||||
| Waters | ||||
| Poscha | ||||
| Tharme | ||||
| Walker | ||||
| Stokes | | 65 | | |
| Evans | | 76 | ||
| Knowles | ||||
| Oyibo | | |||
| Hughes | | 65 | ||
| Subs: | ||||
| Southern | ||||
| Mahon | | 65 | ||
| Curran | | 76 | ||
| Whitham | | 65 | | |
| Referee: | ||||
| Mr Richard Aspinall | ||||
| Blackpool | ||||