Harriers not at the races at the Racecourse

Kidderminster Harriers may have been playing at the Racecourse Ground today but they certainly weren't at the races as they were dispatched with apparent ease by a Wrexham side that still remain at the top of the Blue Square Premier.  The side from North Wales ripped us apart in the first half and it took us until the second period to adjust to the way they played.

The Harriers lined up with James Vincent replacing Scott Phelan in midfield and Luke Medley replacing the former Wrexham favourite, Marc Williams.  Wrexham's side boasted some ex-Harriers in the form of Mark Creighton and Dean Keates.

Although the Harriers had the first chance of the game, a Luke Medley shot that curled well wide of the right post, Wrexham were the brighter of the two sides in the opening stages and were unlucky to see a goal dis-allowed for offside when both Jake Speight and Danny Wright raced through on goal following a ball over the top.  Speights shot went past Danny Lewis into the goal and, fortunately for Harriers, it was deemed to be offside and perhaps Speight can feel aggrieved with the decision as it looked to be very tight.

However this started an onslaught from Wrexham on the Harriers goal with Speight missing another great chance when a ball over the top saw him race away from the left wing on Lewis' goal but his shot went wide of the far post and was met with jeers from the Harriers superb travelling away support.  Perhaps nervous jeers as it was the second time in only a few minutes that the Harriers defence had been picked apart.

One of the problems that the Harriers faced was the 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation that Steve Burr had lined his side up in.  It left Steve Guinan isolated up front and whenever he received the ball there was nobody in support which lead to him somewhat inevitably losing the ball.  To add to this Luke Medley had a poor game where nothing 'worked' for him although his abysmal work rate didn't help the former-Mansfield mans performance.

It was arguably a Medley engineered mistake that lead to the Wrexham opener.  The Dragons right-back Curtis Obeng, who should have been marked by Medley, received the ball in an advanced position, unmarked on the right flank, advanced on goal where he was met by his former team mate Mike Williams who backed off continually, allowing Obeng to slide a pass across the area to Jamie Tolley whose shot may have taken a slight deflection off Tom Marshall but, either way, found its way into the back of the net.

Minutes later Kyle Storer should have seen red for a nasty challenge on Lee Fowler, with Storer lunging at Fowler who was already on the floor trying to flick the ball away.  Storer may have won the ball but the studs were shown and a yellow was a lucky escape for him.

The second half did see the Harriers start brighter with Steve Guinan and Luke Medley, who improved slightly in the second half, combine in a slick move culminating in a tame Medley header at Cameroonian goalkeeper Joslain Mayebi who saved with ease.  However, as the chink of light of hope appeared to break through the clouds, Wrexham naturally went up the other end and scored a second.

Obeng again on the right whipped in a cross which Danny Wright headed past Lewis.  In truth Wright did look a threat the whole game which is strange considering how poor he used to look for Cambridge United.

Medley and Guinan then had chances that were saved by Mayebi and the corresponding corners were wasted.  Steve Burr then tried to change things, bringing on Marc Williams, Jamille Matt and Callum Gittings for Guinan, Medley and Hankin and the Harriers did start to play better but a goal never came.  A good header from Matt forced a great save from the Wrexham stopper and a Marc Williams diving header went past the post.

Wrexham eventually got the win and a deserved one at that.  The Harriers didn't get going today and never threatened Mayebis' goal all too much, which for a side third in the league (even at this early stage) wasn't good enough.

Changes hopefully need to be made to the formation and the squad selection for the game against Ebbsfleet.  4-4-2 would be nice and Nick Wright coming back into the side for Medley also, as Wright offers more work-rate than Medley and more guile going forward.

Man of the match for Kidderminster had to be Jack Byrne who never gave up and was our only consistent attacking outlet all game.

 Goals for Wrexham: Tolley 24, D Wright 50

REFEREE:

Mr D Handley Lancashire