Another second half comeback for Harriers

The Harriers came back from two goals down at halftime to almost reach the brink of our first three points of the season but sadly a late goal from Stefan Payne dashed our hopes.  Adam Dawson and Gurjit Singh had dragged us back from going down to two goals just before halftime with the first of those being scored by former Harrier Jamie Grimes and the second on the cusp of the break from Ricky Miller.

The game had started with a couple of changes for us.  Kelvin Langmead was out through injury, Jake Green came in for him, as was Alex Palmer who had been taken ill before the team travelled down earlier today.  Tahvon Campbell came in for his Albion team mate Andre Wright while on the bench was Jordan Jones and Gurjit Singh for the first time in this short season so far.

As against Grimsby on Saturday the Harriers started the game all over the place and once more were reverting to walloping the ball as far as they could.  Dover, on the other hand, were attempting to play football leaving Dean Snedker the busier of the two keepers with the youngster stopping a Miller shot well and then shepherding a long range shot from Nicky Deverdics over the crossbar.  Our first attempt on goal came from Campbell who stung the hands of Dovers keeper, Mitch Walker.

On forty minutes a goal appeared for the home side out of the blue and from a source that we really didn't want to see.

As on Saturday a corner wasn't dealt with and it was an easy task for the former Harrier Grimes to powerfully head the ball into the net.  Something he never managed for us.

Dover almost scored a second goal a minute later but thankfully Millers shot went just wide with the Harriers defence in disarray.  We recouped and Adam Dawson tried to steady the ship with a great surge on goal and a shot that Walker saved well.  Miller finally got his goal just seconds before the half time whistle when he met Ricky Modestes cross for his first goal for them since joining from Luton in the close season.

So, as on Saturday, we trudged off on the losing end and also with Reece Styche limping off and not to return.  Could we pull this one out of the fire?

Things were going to change this half and the first of those changes was Craig Reid on for Styche.  The other change was we began to play football a little more.

Although we were now taking the game to Dover we were still a little slack in front of goal and chances went begging for the Harriers frontline.  Dover had a chance to increase their lead through centre half Sean Raggett when he hit the bar from a corner but then on the hour mark the Reds were back in the game and what a way to get back into it.

We were given a free kick some way from goal and Adam Dawson lined up to take it.  The ball curled around the Dover defenders and also around their keeper as it banana'd into the net leaving Walker diving at mid air.  It was a goal very similar to the one he scored against Birmingham City in pre-season.

That was the impetus the side needed and we upped the pace a little while at the same time Gary Whild bought on Gurjit Singh for Luke Maxwell in an effort to turn the screw.  What a masterstroke form the Harriers manager because within a minute Singh had drawn us level with a wonder strike.

The sub cut inside his man and advanced on goal at an angle to the keeper and then fired an unstoppable ball home into the bottom corner of Walkers net.  2-2 and the game was in our grasp.

We desperately went in search of the winning goal with Dawson and Reid both going close but then disaster struck.  A ball was played in deep from within the Dover half and Stefan Payne was there to loop the ball into the net with a glancing header and send the fifty or so Harriers fans home in disappointment.  A cruel end to a frantic second half that saw us come within a whisker of our first win of the season.

 Goals for Dover: Grimes 40, Miller 45, Payne 83
 Goals for Harriers: Dawson 61, Singh 72

REFEREE:

Mr D Treleaven W Sussex