Another winning goal for Chris McPhee

The Harriers returned from Histon with all three points thanks to another goal from Chris McPhee, his eighth of the season.  His first half volley was enough to see off the hosts and takes the Harriers up to seventh place in the table although that could all change if Wrexham manage to win at York tomorrow.

There was also a debut for our newest signing today when Jamille Matt came off the bench in place of Marc Williams.  The side that started the game was the same one that did likewise against Rushden in midweek.

Histon started the game the more brighter of the two but both sides seemed very nervous and numerous mistakes were being made.  It took a good twenty minutes before we managed to mount an attack on the Histon goal and that came when Lee Morris chased a mis-placed back pass down but couldn't quite reach the ball before the keeper Joe Welch managed to take charge of it.

We went into a bit of a good spell after that and came close again when Mike Williams capitalised on another Histon mistake to play Matty Blair in but his pass to Mikes brother Marc had too much on it and it went out for a goal kick.  Lee Morris then tried his luck again but this time his shot went well wide.

Histon weren't out of it though when a free kick was put out for a corner and when that was played over we failed to clear it properly and it fell for full back Zac Mills who sent a superb volley screaming towards the goal only for Danny Lewis to pull out an equally superb response to tip it over the bar.

Just seconds after we had claims for a penalty turned down, after a handball following a shot from Matty Blair, we took the lead through a fine goal from Chris McPhee.  It all started with a corner played short to Lee Vaughan who then put it onto the edge of the box for McPhee to volley over the Histon defence and dip into the back of the net.

We almost gave the lead away straight from the restart when Dan Sparkes was allowed to drive a shot in from the edge of the box far too easily but thankfully for us it was just off target.

Just before the break Erkan Okay was booked for the hosts.

The second half commenced with no changes for either side but Lee Vaughan did pick up a yellow card after he kicked the ball away after a free kick was awarded for a foul that had nothing to do with him.  Histon started the stronger but that was only to be expected.

After ten minutes of giving Histon some room the Harriers started to apply the pressure once more and Matty Blair tried his luck once more but although he could only shoot across the face of goal he would have been offside anyway.  Marc Williams went close too when he pounced on a mistake by the Histon player/manager David Livermore but then shot straight at defender Remy Clerima.

Livermore subbed himself soon after and Callum Stewart came on in his place.  That was just the first of a whole raft of changes with the main one of interest being Jamille Matt coming on for his debut in place of Marc Williams and then two for Histon as Danny Mills and Lee Smith get replaced by Ed Adjei and Zak Attwood.

Jamille was soon in action and could have marked his entrance to the game with an assist when he played the ball in for Keith Briggs but he blazed the chance well over the bar.  Lee Morris was taken off to be replaced by Tom Shaw.  A good indication that we were settling for the single goal and that could easily backfire on us.

We had late chances through Matty Blair and sub Callum Gittings, on for Dave Hankin, but none so close as the one that could have gifted an undeserved equaliser for Histon though.  With seconds to go Sparkes let fly a venomous shot but thankfully Mike Williams managed to block it from going in and it went out for a corner that Lanre Oyebanjo somehow managed to head over the bar.

So we returned from Histon with our first ever win there and our first away win back at the start of September at Altrincham.  It all looks very promising for the Eastbourne next Saturday.

 Goal for Harriers: McPhee 34

REFEREE:

Mr M Stewart Suffolk