Kidderminster Harriers Youth 2(1) v (0)0 Malvern Town Youth

Harriers strengthened their position at the top of the Midland Floodlit Youth League following a hard-fought victory over Malvern Town at Aggborough, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season and recording their third consecutive win.

After being held to a draw in their previous home game, the only points that they have dropped so far this season, Harriers were made to work hard for the points again by the team third from bottom in the league.  The visitors gave a performance that belied their position and could, with more luck, have got something from the game.

Sam Woodhouse fired Harriers ahead after 17 minutes, having carried the ball through the middle of the park he hit a fantastic dipping shot from over 30 yards out that gave Sam Bastow in the Malvern goal no chance.  Ten minutes later Harriers could have doubled their lead; Robert Thompson-Brown played a 1-2 with Woodhouse before sliding the ball into the path of Mat Grainger on the right but he fired his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post.  At the other end Hayden Whitcombe pulled off a good save to keep a shot from Shaun Smith out.

After the interval Town grew stronger and began to get on top but didn't really threaten Whitcombe's goal, sub Josh Sinclair stabbing the ball wide after a goalmouth scramble the closest they came.  Harriers then hit them with a counter-attack and doubled their advantage against the run of play; a crossfield pass from the left found Thompson-Brown on the right who hit a first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area across Bastow and inside the far post.  Craig Carter went close to pulling a goal back late on, his shot on the turn almost caught out Whitcombe as it spun off the wet surface but the keeper got down well to gather it in.

The victory took Harriers four points clear of Highgate at the top of the league, although the second-placed team have two games in hand and have yet to drop any points.