Harriers Wembley dreams come to an end

The Harriers FA Trophy dreams are now over for another year after they slipped to a frustrating defeat against Luton Town at Aggborough.

The game went on after passing an inspection earlier in the day, and with Lee Vaughan returning to the side following injury, the Harriers had the first chance of the game after a poor free kick lead to a corner.  The ball was floated in and Kyle Storer was left bemused after his attempt at a header failed him, with an open goal to aim for, but he couldn't get anything on it and it went out for a goal kick.  Storer also had the next chance of the game as he saw his well struck free kick well saved by the Luton stopper Mark Tyler.

Yet despite these chances Luton broke the deadlock.  Good play from the Hatters saw the ball go out to ex Hereford man Stuart Fleetwood on the flank, and, after getting past Vaughan he wizzed a ball in that was finished off easily by Jake Howells.

The goal seemed to be a calming factor for Luton and they were the ones that went looking for a second goal.  They started to control the game although they couldn't really get to test Dean Lyness again.

But it was the Harriers who would score next.  The ball found its way to Jamille Matt in the centre of the pitch and he turned and put a good through ball in towards the onrushing Dan Bradley.  Great play from him saw him charge through the middle of the Luton defence and put a shot in which Tyler was helpless to get, to level the scores.

Luton then tested the old standing theory of "you're most vulnerable when you've just scored" as, straight from the off, they mounted an attack when Luke Jones, who was in the process of clearing the ball, didn't see Greg Taylor try and tackle him.  Taylor fell over Jones, kicking his foot, and got his team awarded a penalty.  Fleetwood was the man with penalty duties but he saw his penalty superbly saved by Lyness much to the relief of the home fans.

The Harriers seemed to be home and dry for the first half but that was until a horror back pass from skipper Mike Williams let Stuart Fleetwood in and he took the ball around the helpless Lyness and finished to notch his side into the lead seconds before the half time whistle.

The second half didn't start too well for the Harriers but once more they seemed to have the first clear cut chance as Mike Williams found himself with space to run in the centre of the park and then shot from distance.  It needed a block from a Luton defender followed by a save from Tyler to keep it from perhaps creeping in.

The half then seemed to be all Luton as they mustered up a few chances to double their lead.  Firstly good play involving Fleetwood saw JP Kissock get a good chance to fire past Lyness but his effort went well over the bar, despite being about eight yards from goal.  Lyness was also required to save from Robbie Willmott but he dealt comfortably with his attempt.

On roughly seventy minutes the Harriers fans were wondering how their side didn't score as a cross from out wide from Nick Wright flew past Tyler but failed to get turned in by Matt for the equaliser.

Luton then had their last, and arguably their best chance, to go 3-1 up as they sent lots of men up the pitch to attack and a header in the box beat Lyness, but also the post.

With the seconds ticking away towards the end of the game the fans thought that the Harriers had earned a Kenilworth Road replay when Wright's shot rustled the net from a McQuilkin free kick.  Incredibly the linesman had flagged him offside, even though Nick had run onto the ball form at least three yards behind the Luton defence, much to the annoyance and confusion of the home supporters.

So the Harriers go out of the FA Trophy but at least we didn't go out with a whimper as we did in the FA Cup at Corby.  With Bath City also going out tonight at home to Grimsby at least we don't have to re-arrange another game in three weeks time either.

 Goal for Harriers: Bradley 35
 Goals for Luton: Howells 24, Fleetwood 45

REFEREE:

Mr S Bratt West Midlands