31-08-19 – Report – Kidderminster Harriers 0 Alfreton Town 1

Harriers fall to a third consecutive home defeat

Report: Harriershane

Billy Heath’s Alfreton Town side were the visitors to Aggborough today in what would be another difficult fixture in which the away side came away with the spoils.

The former Harrier Amari Morgan-Smith led the line for the visitors, whilst the hosts’ new loan signings made the bench. They were Ollie Shenton from Stoke City, on loan until January, and Chesterfield’s Jamie Sharman, here for a month.

In a scrappy affair the game took a while to ignite with both sides struggling to maintain possession of the ball to execute their desired gameplans. The first opportunity of note fell to Alfreton with Josh Thacker sending a header over from a corner before Harriers had their first chance, Ashley Chambers lifting over following determined work from Ryan Johnson and Rhys Williams.

Thacker again was dangerous and sent a low effort goalwards that a scrambling Cameron Gregory was able to turn behind for another corner. Harriers responded by getting a couple of balls into the box following some neat play, however the visiting keeper was comfortable in repelling the efforts.

The game’s only goal came with five to play in the first half as a familiar foe reared it’s ugly head once more – the inability to defend a corner. The ball was lifted into the box and Dominic Smith headed home with both Gregory and his defenders stranded in no man’s land.

HT: 0 – 1

The second half began with Harriers pressing forward immediately with Josh Wilde clearing a Chambers cross into the path of Milan Butterfield, who could only fire over.

With fifty one minutes played, the game really should have been level. Ed Williams took a quick free kick in his own half and played Correy Davidson in behind the defence with a beautiful ball but the wing back could only skew an effort wide when one on one with the goalkeeper.

The game proceeded to settle back into the pattern of the first half with the Harriers trying to find openings whilst Alfreton were always a threat from the set piece. With little over twenty minutes to play Morgan-Smith almost made it two but was brilliantly denied by Rhys Williams.

Shortly after Gregory was called into action once more, and proved he was equal to the task, producing a spectacular one handed save from substitute Ben Tomlinson’s goalbound effort. As we entered the final phases of the game Cliff Moyo was employed in a midfield role, following the introduction of Sharman from the bench, and connected with a pair of half volleys that the goalkeeper was equal to at his front post.

Cue the flashpoint deep into injury time. Ashley Chambers was able to divert the ball past a defender and was cleaned out by the visiting keeper Jack Atkinson. Fortunately for Billy Heath’s men the referee, Mr Richard Holmes, rejected the home side’s appeals, much to the chagrin of Chambers. It was a similar incident to the one early in the Chester game last Saturday. One of them will get given eventually, won’t they?

In the dying minutes of the game Tomlinson earned himself a red card for a poor challenge only minutes after receiving a yellow card for an incident on the edge of our area. 

We get another chance to earn our maiden home win of the campaign on Tuesday as we host a Brackley Town side who went down 2-0 up at Gateshead. A tough assignment awaits, for sure.

FT: 0 – 1

Goal for Alfreton Town: Smith 40

The Harriers Online MotM is: Rhys Williams

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Gregory
Austin
Davidson
R Williams
Moyo
R Johnson
Prosser			74
Butterfield
Chambers
E Williams			78
Peniket
Subs:
Palmer
Sharman			74
Higginson
Shenton			78
Freemantle
Alfreton Town	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Atkinson
Clackstone
Wilde
Lynch
Killock
Qualter
Thacker
Smith
Clarke			60
Morgan-Smith			86
B Johnson			67
Subs:
Whitham
Tomlinson			60
Blake			86
Hinchley
East			67
Referee:
Mr Richard Holmes
Preston