There was a carnival atmosphere inside Aggborough Stadium today when, as early as 2.15, Oxford United came to town bringing with them 2009 fans, outnumbering the Harriers fans in the home end. The game was lucky to be put on after a torrid few days of weather in the Worcestershire town with puddles still existing near the touchline by the Main Stand. Kidderminster were without talismanic midfielder Chris McPhee as he served the last of his three game suspension and Lee Baker was also missing for the Harriers after his rash challenge against Fleetwood in the FA Cup.
For Oxford Sam Deering made his first start since injury last Christmas. Mark Creighton also returned to Aggborough for the first time since leaving in the summer for £10,000 (Maths not your strong point?. Admin).
The feeling around the ground in the home end was a defeatist one with many fans not predicting the start that Harriers got as within two minutes of the kick-off Robbie Matthews turned the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal following a deflected cross from the left much to the delight and surprise of the home fans.
If the fans didn't see the first goal coming then they would have been shell-shocked at what happened a mere fourteen minutes later. The former Harrier, James Constable, gave away a free kick twenty five yards out and Darryl Knights stepped up to take it. Instead of dinking the ball past the wall he tamely laid it off to Matthew Barnes-Homer who smashed an unstoppable pile driver that was lucky not to break the net and gave Oxford goalkeeper Ryan Clarke no chance.
Soon after the Oxford frustration began to show as Adam Murray put in another harsh challenge on Duane Courtney that could've been deemed two footed. Murray, another ex-Harrier, only got a booking for the challenge.
United then got their foot in the door via a questionable penalty after Sam Deering ran onto a through ball down the left side of the Harriers eighteen yard box and Dean Coleman raced out to meet him. He went down to get the ball and caught Deering as well as getting a slight touch on the ball. The referee, after a brief pause, pointed to the spot and within seconds Constable had wrestled the ball off Dean Coleman and then duly dispatched it past the Harriers keeper to make the score 2-1. He then went on to celebrate with inciting gestures in front of the Harriers fans much to their disgust and anger.
Constable nearly got the equaliser and doubled his tally for the day when he beat two Kidderminster defenders and shot at the near post but Coleman clutched the ball to his chest with ease. Mark Creighton also had a chance shortly after following a Murray corner, the ex Harriers players combining, but it came to nothing as Creightons unusually acrobatic kick putting the ball far wide of the post.
The Harriers had a chance shortly before the half time break to put the game out of sight as Smikle ran onto a through ball but he could only shoot at Ryan Clarke who made a comfortable save. Danny Bulman also came close before the interval forcing a good save from Coleman.
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Robbie Matthews
