Bromsgrove Rovers Reserves 0(0) v (0)1 Kidderminster Harriers Reserves

A strong Harriers side cruised to a victory that was far more comfortable than the narrow one-goal scoreline suggests.

Harriers dominated the game from the start apart from one early scare when Mark Clements hit a speculative 30-yard shot straight at Daniel Lewis in the Harriers goal, but this was to turn out to be the only time that the Harriers keeper was troubled all evening.  John McGrath and Chris Beardsley were key players for Harriers with McGrath showing both a good range of passing and his darker side with a number of strong tackles that had more commitment than is normally seen in Reserves Team games.

In the first half Harriers best chances came from a series of corners; Dave Morrison was instigator on most occasions, first a short one to Jamie Gleeson allowed the latter to cross for Abdou Sall only for his header to be saved by home keeper Shaun Hayes at the expense of another corner.  Again Morrison took it and this time picked out Beardsley who saw his header cleared off the line by Clements.  Beardsley had the ball in the net shortly before the break, again from a Morrison corner, but the effort was ruled out as he was adjudged to have climbed over André Joseph to get to the ball.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first with Harriers having nearly all of the possession and creating a string of goalscoring opportunities.  Yet another Morrison corner led to a Sall header that was tipped over the bar by Hayes.  Danny Hodnett made a good run into the penalty area on the right and crossed low to the far post where the ball hit Beardsley who was slow to react and Hayes was able to gather it up.

Scott Eaton created the next good chance, his cross from the left found Morrison whose volley on the turn was tipped over the bar for another corner.  Harriers were creating numerous chances but could not find a way past the Rovers defence until ten minutes from time.  McGrath pounced on a loose ball in the centre of the field and burst through the middle of the defence before slotting the ball round the Rovers substitute keeper Adam Marusiak.  Moments later the advantage should have been doubled, McGrath turned provider with a strong run into the penalty area and low cross to the far post but Daniel Ludlow somehow managed to fire his shot out of the ground from six yards out with the goal gaping in front of him.