Harriers Online. The wonderful world of Kidderminster Harriers

        HOME    FORUM
You have arrived at an archived page.
Please use one of the links to the left to reach either the current website or the Harriers Chatter forum.
Thank you.


Harriers 0 Forest Green Rovers 1

gif

Date: 27-08-12gif Venue: Aggboroughgif att: 1742gif away fans: 192
Harriers nightmare start continues

gif Report by Harry Taylor
Kidderminster Harriers continued their poor run of defeats by losing 1-0 to Forest Green Rovers on this Bank Holiday Monday.

The manager, Steve Burr, rang the changes with seven different faces compared to the side that lost 1-0 to Dartford at Princes Park on Saturday.  Nathan Vaughan made his first league appearance for the club due to Danny Lewis' groin injury, Lee Vaughan came back at right back, Mike Williams replaced Ryan Austin, also out injured, with Mickey Demetriou at left back.  Keith Briggs skippered the side in the absence of Exodus Geohaghon, who was on the bench, while Nathan Blissett lead the line alongside Anthony Malbon.

Forest Green and the Harriers contested for the control of play for much of the first half.  Demetriou had the first close chance of the game, flighting a curling free-kick over the bar before sending a rasping drive which was just palmed away by the Forest Green goalkeeper Sam Russell.

By this point the referee, Chris Knowles, was already dishing out cards like confetti at a wedding, mostly for handballs, whilst actual fouls went unpunished.  Omar Koroma, who had already been booked for a foul on Keith Briggs, was then sent off for a deliberate handball after thirty minutes.

After this the Harriers looked comfortable, but still without the incisive, penetrative quality needed to score goals and chances were still from distance and none resembling clear-cut efforts on goal.
  HT: 0 - 0
After half time the Harriers had the ball in the back of the net for a legitimate goal from Anthony Malbon, ruled out by Knowles for a handball.  Problem was it had nowhere near touched his arm and either the linesman got a bit jumpy or the referee was looking at something else but the goal was disallowed.

James Norwood, who was a thorn in the Harriers side all afternoon, then went on a mazy thirty-yard run but failed to finish afterwards.  Harriers still looked fairly comfortable in possession but created nothing whilst Forest Green were determined to run the clock down with only ten men on the pitch.  The keeper Sam Russell being booked for time-wasting with his goal kicks.

Harriers did create two chances of note, both headers and both superbly saved by Russell.  The first arrived from Malbon but saved by Russell who had to come back across goal to get the header following a cross from the right.  Then came one from Steve Guinan who forced Russell into another great save.

However, only two clear-cut chances in a home game.  Still not good enough.

It was no surprise then when Cheyenne Dunkley and Nathan Vaughan were trying to deal with a ball at the back, Dunkley sliding in on Norwood but only managing to knock the ball past the keeper while Norwood dusted himself off and finished from a fairly tight angle.

Five games, Five defeats.  It's getting worrying, and with Barrow next things don't look much better.

Questions need to be asked.
  FT: 0 - 1

 Goal for FGR: Norwood 81


Harrys MotM is:

gif Mickey Demetriou



gif Report by Arno Bryant & Steve Williams
A goal nine minutes from time crushed an improving Harriers side, against a ten-man Rovers side, who left Aggborough undeserving winners on a windy Bank Holiday Monday.

It was the Harriers who started brighter though, particularly from the right hand side.  Danny Pilkington first in action with a shot come cross, which almost caught out Forest Green goalkeeper Sam Russell.  A teasing cross from the wide man was almost met before Mickey Demetriou fired in from the other flank looking for Nathan Blissett, but Russell fumbled it safe for Forest Green.

Forest Green replied soon after though after a Jamie Turley shot, but Nathan Vaughan dealt with it, albeit not so comfortably.  He then set Demetriou off on a run but he couldn't find Anthony Malbon with the cross that he sent into the area.  Demetriou again tried to make the difference, this time from a free kick, his effort went just over.

Harriers kept this positive play going and, after a great move with the front men the ball made its way out to Callum Gittings but his shot was saved well by Russell's feet.

Soon after the ball was in the Forest Green net but it was offside.  A long ball was again fumbled by the Rovers keeper and it came out to Gittings, he shot from range, and it was stopped and turned in by Malbon but didn't count.

It was a lifeline for Rovers but they could do nothing when Omar Koroma was sent off for a second yellow after a general dogged display, his final offence was blocking a Demetriou cross with his hands.  Koroma left the pitch 'ten minutes' later and the resulting free kick was cleared out to Storer, who fired narrowly wide.

After this the play was stopped regularly by a whistle happy referee but the Reds still went in search for the opener and were unlucky not to get it after a number of efforts.  Firstly the ball found its way out to Gittings and his cross was met by Lee Vaughan but he tried the spectacular and it was blocked, with Keith Briggs missing the follow up.

Soon after a great cross from Danny Pilkington was waiting to be tapped in by Demetriou, but Russell got enough on it to take it from his feet.  Demetriou had one more chance before the end of the half but his long range effort was blocked.
  HT: 0 - 0
The Harriers were looking to make up for not breaking the deadlock in the first half and they had the ball in the Rovers net once more five minutes into the half.  Malbon controlled well with his chest and swooped home but the linesman, who clearly isn't up to date with his body parts, judged it to be handball.

Forest Green had their chance after though.  Firstly Eddie Oshodi saw his shot turned wide after a good diagonal run, before James Norwood narrowly missed the target after ghosting past the Reds defence.  That man Norwood again saw another curled effort, after good trickery, stopped comfortably.

The Reds responded though and after great work from substitute Marvin Johnson the ball found Malbon at the back stick after a header across goal by Gittings but Malbons header was well saved by Russell.  The carpet men also had a penalty shout turned down from the resulting corner, although referee wasn't convinced.

Inside the final ten minutes Forest Green were the side to break the deadlock.  A hoof went straight through the napping defence and Norwood latched on to it.  Cheyenne Dunkley was kind enough to wake up in time to put in a decent sliding tackle, which almost trickled out, before Norwood regained possession and slotted home with Nathan Vaughan helpless outside the six-yard box.

The Reds looked for an equaliser, firstly through a speculative Lee Vaughan effort, which was hit out by Russell's forearms.  The corner was almost in from Keith Briggs at the back post but not enough to beat the shaky, but reliable Russell.

Despite this it was Forest Green who finished the brighter.  After most of the Harriers players were up the field pushing for an equaliser a cross found substitute Reece Styche, on for Matthew Taylor, but his side footed effort was met comfortably by Nathan Vaughan.

It perhaps should have been two for Forest Green.  Another sub, Magno Viera, shooting around Nathan Vaughan, but his name-sake Lee was there to the rescue clearing off the line for a corner.  That corner is where the ball remained for the rest of the game before the referee ended another loss for the Harriers, but we are getting closer, with more penetration in the final third those first points will be ours soon.
  FT: 0 - 1

 Goal for FGR: Norwood 81


Arno & Steves MotM is:

gif Mickey Demetriou



Vote for your Man of the Match here  
Latest table and stats here  

Harriers  goals   subs   cards      Forest Green Rovers  goals   subs   cards 
N Vaughan     Russell
L Vaughan   Oshodi  
Demetriou     Asafu-Adjaye  
Storer   Green  
Dunkley     Turley  
Williams     Collins  
Gittins     Koroma
Briggs     J Rowe gif  
Blissett gif     Taylor gif
Malbon gif   Marsh gif  
Pilkington gif     Norwood gif
SUBS:         SUBS:      
Guinan gif     Todd  
R Rowe gif     Styche gif  
Geohaghon     Wright  
Shakes     Viera gif  
Johnson gif     Forbes gif  

REFEREE:
Mr C Knowles
Northamptonshire





Harriers Online @ Facebook

Midland Hydrographics. Proud to support Kidderminster Harriers FC and Harriers Online

Webamaze. Web design for you

Harriers Online forum

KHFC TV

Join the KHIST 2020 lottery to raise funds for the club



Harriers news straight to your desktop
Site © 1999- Harriers Online - all rights reserved  
This site is 100% unofficial and in no way represents the views of Kidderminster Harriers FC