The Harriers lost their opening day fixture for the second year in a row today when the visitors, Aldershot Town, went home with all three points after going into the lead just after half-time with a sucker punch of a goal from Scott Davies. A second goal ten minutes later from the big number nine, John Grant, put paid to the Harriers hopes of getting anything from the game. A consolation goal from Mark Creighton fifteen minutes from the end was as good as it got.
It had all started off promisingly too, even allowing for the funereal monotone of the PA man, with the Harriers looking the more likely to score in the first half.
After the obligatory opening day nerves it was the Harriers who should really have taken a deserved lead in the eighth minute. James Constable, widely tipped to be this seasons leading scorer, couldn't believe his luck when he was handed a gilt edged chance following a poor backpass to the Shots keeper, Nicky Bull. Beano pounced on it, quick as a flash, went around the keeper and then somehow shot into the side netting.
In his favour he did look to be slightly off balance but it's still a chance that he knows he should have buried.
For the visitors they hardly had a sniff of goal with a strong defence of Jeff Kenna and Paul Bignot keeping the Shots front men well shackled. Rhys Day and Scott Davies both went close for Aldershot with chances from free kicks but they were meat and drink to Scott Bevan.
The one that was catching the eye was the one that shouldn't be. Yes, the Conference refs are still with us and this Mr Coote was a right old bird with incessant whistling and mystifying decisions. Luckily for us it was mostly in our favour with the bookings Hampshire bound although Constable did find himself booked for complaining about being clattered in the Aldershot area and not being given a penalty.
We had one more chance to score before the kettle boiled for the half-time cuppa when Michael Blackwood could only hold his head in despair after his pile driver cannoned back off the underside of the bar.
 |
| HOME FORUM | You have arrived at an archived page. Please use one of the links to the left to reach either the current website or the Harriers Chatter forum. Thank you. |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mark Creighton
