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Harriers 0 Wrexham 1

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Date: 21-02-12gif Venue: Aggboroughgif att: 2492gif away fans: 717
Harriers fail to match Wrexham

gif Report by Steve Williams
The Harriers have some work to do now after they let a chance to get some points in hand on fellow play-off challengers slip after a frustrating game, against second placed Wrexham, in which we deserved at least a point.

Both sides came out fighting, which created an interesting midfield battle, and this was the tone that continued throughout the   Wrexham had the first few clear cut chances though, firstly through a shot which was wide of the goal by Adrian Cieslewicz.  They then pushed to get two more shots on goal not long after but both were comfortably dealt with by the Harriers keeper Tony Breeden.

The Harriers then had the best chance of the game so far when Luke Jones saw his shot cleared off the line.  A whipped in corner by Nick Wright foxed the Wrexham 'keeper and the ball went straight past him to meet Jones' head.  The ball flew towards goal and past the 'keeper again but it was cleared off the line by a Wrexham defender leaving Jones wondering how he didn't put the hosts 1-0 up.

Wrexham replied ten minutes later when they struck the woodwork.  They were awarded a free-kick and Steven Leslie took it and hit the post after a deflection of Kidderminsters' wall, before being hammered away with relief.

Wrexhams' Jake speight should have ben red carded soon after for an incident that saw him clearly punch Lee Vaughan in the face to send the Harriers full back crashing to the ground.  For some reason the referee took no action even though it happened right in his view and his assistant had also flagged immediately.  That incident was to have disastrous repercussions just before half time.

With both sides about to go in to the break all square, following a well fought half, the deadlock was suddenly broken by Wrexham after a challenge that saw Vaughan retaliate on Speight for the earlier incident.

The defender pulled Speight to the floor and Wrexham were awarded the free kick.  They whipped the ball in and with the defence at sixes and sevens the Harriers failed to clear it after a bit of 'ping-pong' in the box.  It was the Wrexham manager Andy Morrell leading by example by notching a scrambled ball home for his side to put them in at half time 1-0 up.
  HT: 0 - 1
The Harriers must have felt down hearted by the late first half goal but they had the first chance of the second half, and their turn to strike the woodwork.  Another Nick Wright flicked corner into the box found Jack Byrne.  He glanced a header towards goal but it was saved well by Joslain Mayebi who pushed it onto the post.

The second half, like the first half, didn't have many clear cut chances and it seemed like the real battle was in Kyle Storer and Byrne had controlled the game well in the first half and most things went through them.  They were helped by a lot of good work from Dan Bradley but they failed to put the same hold on the game in the second half, and especially lacked creativity in the final third.

Nevertheless they managed to conjure up the next two chances.  Firstly when good work in the centre by Storer and Bradley meant the latter could get a good shot in from distance which went just wide.  Secondly a header from second half substitute Steve Guinan, on for Anthony Malbon.  Steve Burr would've been hoping that Guinan could have done the same as he did in the last game against Lincoln, by scoring almost as soon as he came on, but it wasn't to be as his header went wide of the goal.

Wrexham still had a say in this game and went all out to double their lead,  They really should have when Speight missed a sitter after a cross reached him.  It beat Breeden too, but his header at an open goal went straight over, to the relief of the Harriers players who were still working hard to try and get an equaliser.

They had one last throw of the dice when a lot of pressure finally ended in a shot from Jack Byrne but it didn't really trouble Wrexhams' goalkeeper and left the Reds rueing chances they couldn't quite make.

It was a game most fans would have been disappointed they couldn't get something out of it, but ultimately the Harriers were not good enough in the final third.  Mainly at making chances but also taking them when they had the chance too.  Our strikers were just not good enough against a solid Wrexham defence and that was the decisive factor in the Reds ultimate defeat.
  FT: 0 - 1

 Goal for Wrexham: Morrell 45


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gif Kyle Storer



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Harriers  subs   cards      Wrexham  subs   cards 
Breeden     Mayebi  
L Vaughan   Alfei  
Mike Williams     Ashton  
Jones     Creighton gif  
Briscoe     Knight-Percival  
Storer     Harris
N Wright gif     Cieslewicz gif  
Malbon gif     Clarke  
Matt gif     Leslie
Bradley   Speight  
Byrne   Morrell gif  
SUBS:       SUBS:    
Lyness     Maxwell  
Guinan gif     Westwood gif  
Gittings     Hunt gif  
Rowe gif     Little  
Hankin gif     Pogba gif  

REFEREE:
Mr A Davies
Hampshire





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