A bumper crowd of nearly 5000 packed into Aggborough to see Albion substitute Scott Dobie come on and score
twice in a minute a give them a victory that they barely deserved.
Harriers again matched their higher grade opponents and nearly took the lead after thirteen minutes, a
vicious inswinging corner from the left taken by Kenny Coleman found an unmarked Kyle Lightbourne who rose
well but directed his header straight at Russell Hoult in the Albion goal. Soon afterwards the play
switched to the other end and Andy Johnson's run at the heart of the Harriers defence ended with a pass
square to Rob Hulse but he blazed his shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
The first half was very even, West Brom had a lot of possession but Harriers dealt with it well and the home
team stretched the visitors themselves also. There was little more goalmouth action until late in the
half, a Jason Koumas free kick from the left curled wickedly across the goalmouth to Danny Dichio who got
a powerful header in but Stuart Brock saved well to conced a corner. Three minutes before the break
Matt Lewis almost broke the deadlock with a chip from the edge of the penalty area that dropped just over
the crossbar.
Harriers came out after the break more fired up and soon began to dominate the game in midfield, closing
down their opponents quickly and not allowing them to settle. The opening goal came five minutes into
the half, Lightbourne crossed from the right and at the far post Bernt Haas turned the ball into his own
net under pressure from Abion old-boy Sean Flynn. On the hour Harriers were awarded a free kick 20
yards out after Lewis was brought down by Johnson, Lewis took the kick himself and rattled the crossbar.
Albion were still involving themselves in the game when they could and after 68 minutes Neil Clemment almost
brought them level. The wing-back was allowed to run and run at the Harriers defence, right into the
penalty area, and his powerful cross-shot was tipped away well by Brock. Fourteen minutes from the end
Harriers almost doubled their lead in comical fashion, at a drop ball in the centre of the field it was intended
for Harriers to give possession back to the visitors but Danny Williams' long range lob almost caught out
Hoult who did well to claw it away from the goalline. Straight away Albion attacked and former Harrier
Lee Hughes jinked his way into the penalty area before unleashing a stinging drive that was deflected into
the side netting for a corner and fooling most of the visiting support behind the goal into thinking it had
gone in.
Bo Henriksen carved a great opening ten minutes from time, getting to the byline but his cross flashed across
goal behind Lewis and away to safety. Albion substitute Dobie then levelled the scores, receiving a pass
from Koumas and rounding Brock to be left with an easy tap in. Seconds later they were in front, Koumas
wa again the provider crossing from the left for Dobie to head in from 6 yards out. With the last kick
of the game Clemment almost added a third that would have given a completely untrue reflection of the game to
the result, his 25 yard free-kick was pushed onto the bar by Brock.
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