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Grimsby Town 3 Harriers 1

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Date: 19-12-13gif Venue: Blundell Parkgif att: 3086gif away fans: 51
It's grim up North as Harriers fall to a third consecutive defeat

gif Report by Harrier Shane
Kidderminster Harriers were defeated 3-1 at Blundell Park this evening by a Grimsby Town side who were full value for the victory in front of the BT Sport cameras.  Manager Steve Burr was forced into making a couple of changes with Callum Gittings and Amari Morgan-Smith both missing through suspension so Danny Jackman moved into midfield, with Mickey Demetriou continuing at left back, whilst Anthony Malbon was handed his chance as part of a front three which included Michael Gash and Joe Lolley.  Among the substitutes was Academy prospect Josh Riis with Jamie Tolley also making the bench.

A hardy band of Harriers fans, some resplendent in their festive Christmas suits, had made the trip to Cleethorpes and they were handed some early Christmas cheer as Harriers flew out of the traps and eventually took the lead after just seven minutes.

Michael Gash picked the ball up around twenty five yards from goal and drove the ball speculatively towards Josh McKeown's goal.  A fortuitous deflection off the trailing foot of Mariners centre back Shaun Pearson looped the ball over the keeper, giving Harriers an early platform on which they could build.

This, however, was not the case as the goal seemed to spur a confident Grimsby side into action.  The Reds lead lasted just eight minutes and the Harriers were architects of their own downfall here.

A loose ball was played across the back line, around twenty five yards from goal, and was recovered for a throw in by the home side.  From this throw the excellent Scott Neilson left Lee Vaughan for dead and the Harriers man brought him down around a yard outside the box.  The free kick was whizzed in with Chey Dunkley heading it away for a throw in.

Sam Hatton then proceeded to launch one of his trademark projectile throws into the Harriers area which found a Grimsby head nodding the ball down and allowing Craig Disley to volley home on the turn from six yards out after getting the wrong side of skipper Kyle Storer.

Joe Lolley was the Harriers main threat going forward and was denied following a trademark mazy run as both sides traded periods of pressure in a high tempo game with a pitch suited to a passing brand of football, the neutral viewers were being treated to a cracking game of football.

From a Harriers perspective though it got worse as Neilson drove home a splendid strike from twenty yards out after beating Storer to the ball after the Harriers skipper's half hearted attempt at a tackle.

Just before the break Ross Hannah had a great chance to make it 3-1 for the hosts but his rasping effort could only find the side of Danny Lewis' goal.

The first half saw three yellow cards brandished: Chey Dunkley picking up a card for Harriers after a late challenge whilst Craig Disley was booked for a foul from behind on Danny Jackman on the halfway line and Ross Hannah was booked for dissent.  As the half time whistle blew, Harriers were left to reflect on a good first half of football from both sides and could perhaps consider themselves slightly unfortunate to go into the break a goal down.
  HT: 2 - 1
Sadly, the second half failed to provide the turnaround that we were all hoping for as Paul Hurst's Mariners flew out of the traps, clearly under instructions to get the decisive fourth goal of the game.  The Harriers managed to see out an early period of pressure unscathed apart from a booking for Josh Gowling following a bodycheck on the halfway line after he had been left for dead.

The fourth goal of the game did come and it went the way of the home side just after the hour mark.  Gash committed a foul on Disley in the Grimsby half and the resulting free kick was unceremoniously launched forward towards the imposing figure of Lenell John-Lewis who won the flick on.  The ball beat Lee Vaughan in the air and fell to the feet of Neilson who lifted the ball over Danny Lewis who was left stranded in no mans land.

That third goal all but killed off Harriers and the home side continued to press forward.  It took the management duo until the seventy fifth minute to make a change, with the out of sorts Anthony Malbon being replaced by James Dance who fired way over the bar with his first touch just seconds after taking to the field.

Harriers, despite not creating much in the second half, kept trying to go forward with Mickey Demetriou having an effort from range saved comfortably by McKeown with ten minutes left on the clock.  The last chance of the game fell to Joe Lolley, with thirty seconds left to go, but his effort from point blank range was superbly stopped by a reaction save from the home custodian who, in all honesty, had had a rather comfortable night between the sticks.

Fifty one hardy souls had made the long journey up to Cleethorpes in what were cold, bitter conditions.  The second half performance was flat, with defensive errors costing Harriers and the impressive Ross Hannah can consider himself unlucky not to have scored as his best chance was denied by Dunkley's trailing leg after excellent work from Aswad Thomas.

From a Harriers point of view a third defeat on the trot is worrying and, with the double header against Hereford either side of a tough visit to Luton Town, it goes without saying that points need to be picked up soon to avert this slump if we wish to sustain our promotion push.

The Harriers have now dropped down to fourth place following this result and are just two points clear of sixth placed Alfreton, having played the same amount of games albeit with a superior goal difference.

I'm giving my Man of the Match award to Joe Lolley.  The young striker was at the heart of Harriers' attacking threats with his mazy, direct style of play and can consider himself unfortunate not to have found his way onto the scoresheet.  He will have certainly impressed the Huddersfield Town manager Mark Robins who was in attendance scouting his side's FA Cup opponents.
  FT: 3 - 1

 Goals for Grimsby: Disley 17, Neilson 30, 62
 Goal for Harriers: Gash 8


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gif Joe Lolley



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Latest table and stats here  

Grimsby Town  goals   subs   cards      Harriers  goals   subs   cards 
McKeown     Lewis  
Hatton     L Vaughan  
Thomas     Demetriou  
Kerr     Storer  
Pearson     Dunkley
McDonald     Gowling
Rodman     Jackman  
Disley gif   Fowler  
John-Lewis gif     Gash gif  
Hannah gif   Malbon gif  
Neilson gif gif     Lolley  
SUBS:         SUBS:      
Bignot     N Vaughan  
Colbeck     Dance gif - 76  
Southwell gif - 90     Riis  
Cook gif - 82     Blissett  
McLaughlin gif - 77     Tolley  

REFEREE:
Mr B Toner
Lancashire





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