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Harriers grab draw from Gulls claws


Andy Bishop The Harriers came back from the brink in a rain soaked Torquay tonight with goals from Bo Henriksen and new boy Andrew Bishop.  This was after pulling their usual stunt of making life hard for themselves in the first place.

With the Reds starting the more brightly it would seem only a matter of time before we would open the scoring.  First Sam Shilton shot wide and then Bo came close after 15 minutes when Dean Bennett put him through with a defence splitting ball only to see his shot go just wide of the post with Van Heusden only just getting a fingertip to it.

With just over twenty minutes gone on the clock, when the Harriers were getting into their stride, Torquay took a shock lead.

The goal came from Alex Russell whose shot took more deflections than a pin ball machine.  After being allowed to run through by an immobile defence his shot first came off Lee Ayres and then hit Kenny Coleman in the chest.  Stuart Brock, by now on the wrong foot could only watch the ball trickle into the net.

Although they had gone down to a killer goal the Harriers didn't give up and they tried to hit back.  First through Sean Flynn whose powerful drive was kept out by Van Heusden and then minutes later when the keeper bravely went down at the feet of Shilton to smother the ball just as he was about to fire.

Shilton came close to scoring again just a minute later but he was put off just enough by Hazell to miss out on the chance.

Even though we were still getting the lions share of the ball it was yet another shock when we went further behind on 31 minutes.  Again it was a sleeping defence that let in Martin Gritton to increase the Gulls lead.

A cross from the right by Bedeau found David Graham unmarked in open space at the far post.  First his shot was stopped by Stuart Brock but the ball fell to Gritton who found no problem in putting the ball into the empty net.

We could have found ourselves three down just five minutes later but Grittons goal was ruled out for offside.

With the clock ticking down to the halfway mark we could have reduced the Torquay lead but Dean Bennetts shot rolled agonisingly wide of the post after good work by Drewe Broughton gave him the chance.


HT. 2 - 0

The game re-started with a Torquay substitution.  Jamie Attwell replaced an injured Van Heusden in goal for the Gulls.

Although we were again dominating proceedings the Harriers manager, Ian Britton, decided to play his ace when he put on Bishop for his debut in place of Kenny Coleman.  Adie Smith was switched to the back three to take his place.

Bishop was soon showing why Brit was so interested in him when he collected the ball on the edge of the area and hit a scorching shot that Attwell could only slow down leaving Bo the easiest of chances to collect the rebound and put it away.

With the Harriers now having the upperhand again the Torquay fans started to barrack their team as they could see their two goal lead being taken from them.

The Harriers had just replaced Drewe with Ian Foster and within seconds we had drawn level with a goal from the new boy.  A superb Adie Smith cross found Bishop who made no mistake when his header shot past Attwell into the back of the net to make it all square.

Torquays hearts were broken soon after when again they had a goal ruled out for offside.  This time it was Tony Bedeau who lost out.

Ian Joy With time running out Ian Britton sent on Ian Joy in place of Bo Henriksen in an effort to ensure the point.  The extra defender came in useful with Torquay looking to regain the lead with an onslaught of the Harriers goal.

First Graham just missed out on connecting with a Gritton shot across the face of the goal and then Gritton himself went close with a header that just skimmed the top of the crossbar.  With the seconds ticking away it was almost disaster for the Reds when the ball fell to Jason Fowler.  He let fly with a screamer that was just about kept out by Stuart Brock.  From the corner Brockie performed heroics again when he saved Woozley's powerful header.

The resilience of Brittons team is starting to show now.  Time was, under Molby, that they would have given up after being two down but now we have a team that have the self confidence to claw their way back.

It's a pity they have to get themselves into that situation in the first place.


FT. 2 - 2


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man of the match now

Torquay Utd  subs   cards      Harriers  subs   cards 
Van Heusden     Brock  
Hockley     Coleman  
Canoville     Ayres  
Hazell     Williams  
Woozley     Hinton  
Bedeau     Smith  
Russell     Bennett  
Fowler     Flynn  
Hill     Broughton  
Graham     Henriksen  
Gritton     Shilton  
SUBS:       SUBS:    
Attwell     Danby  
Dunning     Sall  
Osei-Kuffour     Foster  
Douglin     Joy  
Bond     Bishop  

REFEREE:
Mr G Hegley
Herts



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