harriers-online match report
Vs halifax town 
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Reds fall to bottom club.


This was a game that we had to win to keep our play off hopes alive. Sorry to say but I think we have left ourselves a mountain to climb now.

The past weeks events probably did not help matters along with a Shay Stadium pitch that had been ploughed for a rugger match on Sunday.

Added to this is what is becoming a quickly depleted squad and now made even worse by the playing of an obviously injured Colin Larkin.
Are we really trying to send him back to Molineaux a cripple. Jan, for Gods sake rest him now.

Pre game Halifax look to have resorted to the dirty tricks department by issuing the news that both Paul Stoneman and Craig Midgley were suspended. They both played and to add insult to lies it was Midgley who grabbed the goal for them as early as the ninth minute.

The move started when a corner for the Harriers was cleared upfield with Harsley picking the ball up in his own half.
He released the ball for Craig Midgley who ran the full length of our half to calmly slot the ball past Stuart Brock.

After that we had three chances to get back on level terms but each time it was Drewe Broughton who wasted the moment.

First he charged at the Halifax defence as they backed off in the 14th minute but then scooped a tame shot over the bar.
Seconds later he robbed Harsley but then snatched at his shot and sent the ball into the stands from 20 yards out.

Then Drewe's header from a Ian Joy left wing cross went wide when it would have been easier to score.

Adie Smith, who had been passed fit earlier, was the next to come close but his header was cleared off the line by Mark Jules and eventually cleared to safety by Stoneman.

The Reds were struggling to get their game together on the farmers field and their usual fluent passing game was missing. They went in for the break 1-0 down.


HT. 1-0

At the start of this half Larkin failed to reappear after taking a knock in the first half. Shilton replaced him.

The pattern of play was much the same as the first half with the Harriers making most of the running and Halifax content to defend deeply.

Drewe missed another chance to draw level in the 61st minute when his glancing header was again wide of the mark.

Six minutes later Halifax could have increased their lead when Gary Jones managed to shake off the attentions of Abdou Sall but his one on one with Brockie was wasted when he shot cleanly over the bar.

Jan then bought off Ian Clarkson for Tony Bird in an attempt to get something out of the game but apart from a turned down penalty appeal and a last minute header from Smithy that was it.

Halifax finally get their first win in ages and it came at our expense.

The three points won't help them to stay in the league but we are still in 10th place.
If we keep dropping silly points like this I can see Rushden finishing above us on the last day.


FT. 1-0



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TEAMS:

Harriers.
Brock, Clarkson, Joy, Sall, Hinton, Smith, Bennett, Williams, Broughton, Larkin, Foster.

Subs;   Danby, Davies, Ayres, Shilton, Bird.

Halifax.
Richardson, Jules, Stoneman, Woodward, Bushell, Mitchell, Harsley, Redfearn, Jones, Midgley, Farrell.

Subs;   Crookes, Winder, Swales, Wright, Herbert.

CARDS;
Yellow. Harriers 2. Broughton, Joy.
Yellow. Halifax 0.

Red. Harriers 0.
Red. Halifax 0.

Referee; 
Mr M J Brandwood. (Lichfield)


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