Slick Harriers fight back to grab a point

Kidderminster Harriers attempted to do the double over their playoff rivals, York City, in this Tuesday night six pointer game after what was probably the performance of the season at Bootham Crescent just before Christmas.  In that 3-2 win the Reds stormed into a commanding lead before halftime and held out under an onslaught during a second half that saw City throw the proverbial kitchen sink their way.

With the home fans expecting more of the same instead we saw a cagey first ten minutes as both teams tried to get down and play the passing football which has helped them rise into the top five of the League table.  It took until the twentieth minute before we saw the first real chance of the game arise.  Tom Sharpe worked well down the wing and whipped a cross in that found its way through the box to Nick Wright but, after a good first touch, he couldn't get enough behind the shot and it was easily cleared off the line by Chris Smith.

Six minutes later the home fans had more to cheer about, although only briefly, as some more strong work from Wright pulled a ball in to Dan Bradley who slotted the header home only to find himself offside, as he had been for quite a while anyway.

Minutes later York very nearly took an unexpected lead when a crazy header from Mike Williams left Tony Breeden darting backwards to scrap the ball away from his goal.

Harriers started to dominate the game with the tempo continuing at a high rate.  Sharpe and Dave Hankin teamed up well down the right to allow Bradley enough space to get a strike in but he just couldn't keep it down and it sailed over the Minstermen's cross bar.

The whistle finally went for the break with both sides looking dangerous when they had the ball but doing quite enough with it to open the deadlock.

The City manager, Gary Mills, sent on two subs at the start of the second half (although the announcer only mentioned one) as York tried to regain some control.  Andre Boucaud came on for Adriano Moke in the centre of defence while new loan signing, Matt Blinkhorn, replaced James Reed.  The change didn't seem to make a huge impact as the Harriers quickly regained their domination of the first half without managing to open up the York defence.

In the fifty seventh minute the game got its first goal, against the run of play, through Yorks' first real chance of the match.  Jon Challinors free kick, from out on the touchline, sailed over the Harriers static defence towards an unmarked Chris Smith who had all the time in the world to head the ball goalwards and beyond the reach of Breeden.

The goal seemed to spur on York but Harriers kept breaking forward as Lee Hendrie, Dan Bradley and Nick Wright all forced Michael Ingham into saves.   The pressure almost seemed as if it would be too much for York when substitute Anthony Malbon, on for the ineffective Dave Hankin, cut inside the box to produced a stunning cheeky lob, over his shoulder, but somehow Ingham managed to claw it out for a corner.  That corner then resulted in a shot that came from nowhere and cannoned off the crossbar with Ingham well beaten.

A crazy couple of minutes resulted as Harriers had shot after shot blocked by the York defence, which now seemed to consist of 90% of the team.

The Harriers did finally get the goal that their performance deserved though.  With only five minutes of normal time to be played the Reds were awarded a rare free kick.  From five yards outside the area the young loanee from Hereford, James McQuilkin, skidded a free kick through the crowded box and past the late diving keeper to send the 2250 Harriers fans into raptures.

Some shaky passing followed but the Harriers deservedly held on to the draw, which I think both sides would have taken before kickoff, leaving both Harriers and City with a two point cushion in the playoff places.

 Goal for Harriers: McQuilkin 85
 Goal for York City: Smith 57

REFEREE:

Mr D Bond Lancashire