harriers-online match report
Vs exeter city 
HOME
The comeback kids


Harriers staged a great comeback at Aggborough today after going 2-0 down within the first 15 minutes through two shocking defensive errors.  It was thanks to sheer grit that we managed to claw our way back into it and finally overcome our visitors.

Exeter's first came after just 3 minutes when a terrible misjudgment by Adie Smith let in big Steve Flack to run onto Cottinger's through ball.  Flack made no mistake in slotting the ball past Brockie, leaving a look of dis-belief on the Harriers fan's faces.

There was more dis-belief 10 minutes later when this time a mistake from Brockie let in Thomas to grab City's second.  The ball had come in from a Lee Sharpe cross but instead of calling for the ball Brock seemed to be leaving it for Scott Stamps to deal with.  At the last second Stuart got his fingertips to it but he could only let it slip to the feet of the waiting Thomas to tap the ball in at the back post.

The Red's were a sorry sight by now with players starting to argue with each other and errors permeating throughout the side.  It was a massive surprise that we managed to get back into the game.

Drewe Broughton gave sign of what was to come when he fired wide from 25 yards out although it would have been more productive if he had passed it to a better placed team mate.

It didn't matter because the goal wasn't long in coming.  In the 29th minute Bo Henriksen
Bo Henriksen
grabbed the first of his brace.

The goal was down to Abdou Sall's vision when he spotted Bo unmarked.  With a superb ball over the top of the Exeter defence he played Bo in who then put a superb ball over Miller's out stretched fingers for his second goal of the season.

Scott Stamps found his name in Mr Stretton's book soon after when he was booked for what looked an innocuous challenge on Walker near the touchline.

We were back in the running on 35 minutes when Lee Ayres scored his first ever goal for the club.  Dean Bennett's superb corner found Lee Ayres waiting ready for his firm header to find its way into the back of the Exeter net.

After looking to be down and out after the first quarter we had managed to drag ourselves out of the mess and went into the dressing rooms with our heads held high.


HT. 2 - 2

At the start of the second half both sides made substitutions when we bought on Daire Doyle for Dean Bennett and City swapped Cronin for Gareth Sheldon.  I'm not sure if the switch of Bennett for Doyle was a tactical one or bought about through injury.

Drewe Broughton was the first in action for us but his glaring miss bought jeers from the Harriers fan's in the home end when he volleyed the ball over the stand after a lovely cross from Adie Smith on the right.

Drewe was to make a similar miss later on and although he say's that it won't let it get him down it has to one day.  For his own sake I hope he breaks his duck soon.

Bo gave us a glimpse of all 3 points when he scored his second on 53 minutes with a stunning strike from the edge of the box after running onto Drewe's pass.  Bo was on fire and you could see he was enjoying himself out there today, he would only need a third to make his day complete but he was amazingly taken off just after to be replaced by Ian Foster.

In between that goal and the fourth the Harriers picked up a couple more needless bookings.  First was Daire who was cautioned for dissent and then came a booking for Sean Parrish when he tackled Walker from behind.  We may start to rue these in the near future.  That makes 8 yellows and 1 red in just 4 games and with our small squad we might need to bring in some loan players to cover those out suspended.

We went 4-2 in front when Drewe Broughton's header from a Sean Parrish corner was blocked by keeper Miller but luckily the ball fell just right for Lee AyresLee Ayres to bang home his second goal for the club and double his own personal tally.

Exeter brought on Roscoe for Sharpe after 71 minutes and it was the sub who gave City a glimmer of hope.  Poor defending again let in City when a cross from the impressive James Cottinger was only half cleared to Roscoe who made no mistake with a shot that flew past Brock.

He was to come close again just seconds after but this time Stuart managed to get an outstretched foot to the ball and clear it to safety.

Drewe's second missed sitter came on 84 minutes when, this time, he fired the ball at the corner flag after good work by the fast improving Doyle.

As the minutes ticked by and 5 minutes was added on for extra time the ref, Mr Stretton, thought he would give City a helping hand to grab an equaliser.  Ian Foster was bundled off the ball on the edge of the area and the ref waved play on and told the keeper to hurry up and kick the ball back upfield only for Sall to be penalised with a free kick on the edge of their area.

The free kick was totally un warranted because Sall didn't seem to tackle the player rather than fall into him.  The free kick was cleared to safety and after what seemed an eternity the ref finally blew the whistle on the end of the game.

With our first 3 points of the season in the bag it's off to London Town on Monday to see what we can get off the Orient.  We shall need to get this defence sorted soon though.


FT. 4 - 3

The Harriers-Online
Man of the Match is : 
Bo Henriksen

Showed plenty of awareness for his goals. It's just a shame he wasn't given his chance to complete his hat trick after being substituted.

Best for them:  James Coppinger.


vote for your
man of the match now

Harriers  subs   cards      Exeter City  subs   cards 
Brock     Miller  
Smith     Whitworth  
Stamps   Power  
Sall     Walker
Ayres     Curran  
Williams     Flack  
Bennett     McConnell  
Flynn   Sharpe  
Broughton     Thomas  
Henriksen     Coppinger  
Parrish     Cronin  
SUBS:       SUBS:    
Danby     Fraser  
Joy     Taylor  
Doyle   Watson  
Ducros     Roscoe  
Foster     Sheldon  

REFEREE:
F G Stretton (Nottingham)


links to some
exeter city websites:

official site
exe web
Chat about this game here
Did you see the same match as me?
Do you want to write a report?
If you do then click here
If you came here from an external link
then please click below to go to
Harriers-Online
 
              Back to Top

Site © 1999- Harriers-Online.co.uk - all rights reserved  
This site is 100% unofficial and in no way represents the views of Kidderminster Harriers FC