Harriers see their first win snatched away

A pleasantly bright, but sometimes gusting, afternoon greeted Kidderminster Harriers trip to Barrow for this bottom of the table clash in the Blue Square Premier league.  Both Barrow and the Harriers were still looking for their first wins of the season and hoping to get it at Holker Street.

Harriers started with a 4-4-2 formation.  New signings Richard Peniket (youth loan from Fulham) and Manny Panther with plenty of football league experience of his own, were both on the bench.

The Bluebirds boss Dave Bayliss made three changes to the side, that lost 2-0 at Macclesfield on Monday, with striker Joe Jackson, winger Danny Rowe and midfielder Richie Baker replacing Vinny Mukendi, now on loan at Tamworth, Chris Moore, who was dropped to the bench, and James Owen, who had a side injury.

Harriers started the brighter of the two teams and deservedly took the lead on eight minutes when, moments after an Anthony Malbon tap-in had been ruled out for offside, winger Danny Pilkington was given the freedom of the box after being really well set up by Callum Gittings.  Pilkington picked his spot delightfully in the corner of the net.

This was no more than Harriers deserved as they had dominated to that point in the game - Gittings in particular challenging well and bossing midfield.  A double save from Danny Hurst just a minute later denied the men from Aggborough a second goal.

Chances continued to come thick and fast at both ends of the pitch.  However, as has been the story throughout Harriers' season so far, as the half progressed the boys from Worcestershire began to take their foot off the pedal.

As a result, on thirty three minutes a cracking 18-yard shot from Barrow midfielder Richie Baker was kept out by Nathan Vaughan's superb one-handed save.  Were it not for the Harriers' stoppers agile block, all in the ground were otherwise certain that the equaliser had arrived.

Paul Rutherford and Anthony Malbon then went close for Barrow and Kidderminster respectively before, on the stroke of half-time, Bluebirds winger Danny Rowe volleyed over when well placed.

All in all, the first half was fairly even and Harriers could not have complained had they gone in at the break with scores level.

Barrow made a change at the start of the second half, taking off the hot and cold Rowe for Chris Moore.

Again Harriers were the better team at the start of the second period.  Up until the last twenty minutes the boys in yellow were playing a very successful containment game, passing the ball around a lot more effectively than Barrow.

The first change of the day for Harriers came on the hour mark when Danny Pilkington was withdrawn due to a foot injury, to be replaced by Marvin Johnson.

After about sixty seven minutes Nathan Blissett created an opening when he slipped the ball to substitute Marvin Johnson.  Johnson fired the ball to the far post with an effort that was a shot cum cross but Malbon couldn't quite reach it.

In the 73rd minute new boy Richard Peniket came on for Blissett, who had looked promising in bursts.  Once introduced Peniket also looked to be a good class of player.  Furthermore, after seventy five minutes Steve Burr gave a debut to Manny Panther as a replacement for Gittings who had to come off after sustaining an off the ball head injury in midfield.

Buoyed by the home support Barrow burst into life in the last fifteen minutes.  Paul Rutherford should have scored beforehand, pouncing on Ryan Austin back pass but, on seventy seven minutes, Richie Bakers' deflected shot off Mickey Demetriou found the corner of the net to make it 1-1.

Then deep into stoppage-time the Bluebirds striker Adam Boyes, who was outstanding throughout, curled an 18-yard effort just inches wide of the post.

Barrow have now only won once in their last sixteen league games and this was Kidderminsters first point in their last eight league games.  Once again, this was a match where Harriers took the lead but were unable to hold on.  In fact in the last few minutes Barrow looked the more likely to grab the winner as Harriers clung on for a point.

With a team full of skilled players, the one thing that seems to be lacking for the Worcestershire outfit is confidence and motivation - it seems to ebb as games progress.  Having said that there were excellent performances today from Chey Dunkley and Nathan Vaughan.

Is this the turning point? We can only hope so.  The ability is there and the team began to look something like today.  Instil some belief and things could change very quickly.

Onward to Braintree away on Tuesday evening.  It's a funny game is football, who knows what might happen with Harriers now having earned their first point of the campaign....

 Goal for Barrow: Baker 77
 Goal for Harriers: Pilkington 8

REFEREE:

Mr D Handley Lancashire