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Harriers bang 4 past sad Swans


The Harriers moved up to 2nd place in the league tonight with a stunning 4-0 win at the Vetch Field, Swansea.  A position that would have seemed unthinkable at the start of the season when most people, myself included, thought that at best we would struggle to survive and end up mid table or lower.  Shouldn't get cocky though, it could still go pear shaped.

John 'JJ' Melligan Swansea must have regretted asking the local fire brigade to help repair storm damage at the ground this morning only to be given a footballing lesson by us and in particular 'JJ' Melligan.

The first chance for the Harriers came ten minutes after kick off when a long kick upfield from Stuart Brock fell to Drewe Broughton who flicked it on to an unmarked Bo Henriksen.  Bo, with plenty of time, could only shoot straight at the keeper.  It was a warning of things to come.

Drewe, himself, was the next to test Freestone, in goal for the Swans, on 14 minutes but his header from Sean Flynn's overhead kick went agonisingly wide of the target.

The Super Reds gradually began to take control of the game as Swansea struggled to hold on to the ball and after 27 minutes we were rewarded with the first of our goals.  The superb Melligan found space inside the penalty area, and with the Swansea defence static, picked out the unmarked Henriksen who somehow sliced his shot only to see it fall fortunately for Sam Shilton to stab the ball into the back of the net.

The Harriers kept up the pressure for the rest of the first half without adding to their score.  Danny Williams came near to scoring when he forced Freestone into a sprint across his goal to keep his effort out.

Bo went close with a volley and then Drewe just failed to connect properly with a 'JJ' pass inside the box and he dragged his shot wide of the goal.


HT. 0 - 1

We were forced into make two changes at half time when Dean Bennett and Sean Parrish replaced Danny Williams and Craig Hinton.  Craig had taken a slight bang to his ankle but Danny's injury was more serious.  He had cracked ribs and will certainly miss the next three or four games.

The Reds almost extended the lead through Dean Bennett within 60 seconds of the restart.  He cut in from the right and fired a low drive at Freestone.  The keeper just managed to block it with his feet.

Minutes later we had extended the lead.

Sam Shilton delivered an inswinging corner to the front post, Henriksen, Broughton and Andy Mumford, a Swansea defender, all went for it, but it appeared that it was the Swansea player who had the final touch to divert it into his own net.  Although Bo seemed to be claiming it as his goal the honour seemed to be all Mumfords.

Drewe Broughton Brian Flynn, the Swansea manager, sent on Williams and Phillips in place of Cash and Mumford in an effort to save face but it was too late.  Six minutes later Harriers added a third goal.

At last Drewe Broughton got the goal he has deserved all season when he had the easy task of heading the ball into the back of an empty net from just two yards out.  Melligan, again, was the tormentor of Swanseas defence delivering a quality cross from the right for Drewe to finish with ease.

In all this we mustn't forget that Stuart Brock was playing too and it was on the hour that he was called into action for the only time of the night.  It wasn't much action though.  Just to push away a cross cum shot from the ex Blackburn striker James Thomas that was never going to do much damage anyway.

Two minutes later Melligan made it four with a quality goal to cap a stunning individual performance.  He picked the ball up 10yds outside the box, before bursting forward past three defenders and delivering a fierce drive across Freestone and into the far corner for his sixth goal for the Harriers.

We took our foot off the pedal after that as the Swansea fans streamed out of the ground.  Those that remained joined in the Harriers fans Brazilian cheers as the team played keep ball around a bewildered and shell shocked dejected Swansea team.

With Torquay beating Bournemouth by the same scoreline, this Saturday's game at Plainmoor looks the be a promotion six pointer.  It could be one hell of a game!


FT. 0 - 4


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man of the match now

Swansea City  subs   cards      Harriers  subs   cards 
Freestone     Brock  
De-Vulgt     Stamps  
Howard     Ayres  
O'Leary     Williams  
J Smith     Hinton  
Mumford     Melligan  
Reid     Coleman  
Jenkins     Flynn  
Cash     Broughton  
Thomas     Henriksen  
Wood     Shilton  
SUBS:       SUBS:    
Murphy     Danby  
Theobald     Sall  
Watkin     Bennett  
J Williams     Foster  
Phillips     Parrish  

REFEREE:
Mr B Curson
Leicester



links to some
Swansea websites:

official site
swansea city afc
swansea city afc.co.uk

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