Kidderminster Harriers Youth 5(2) v (0)0 Coleshill Town Youth

Harriers completed their home fixtures in the Floodlit Youth League with a convincing victory that keeps alive their hopes of a second-place finish.

A lively start to the game saw both sides have chances to open the scoring, both defences relieved to see the crossbar come to their rescue.  First a deep cross from the left found Harriers' Jermaine Hollis who lofted a gentle lob onto the Coleshill bar and then at the other end a Shane Higgins cross picked out Mark Cox who glanced a header against the Harriers crossbar.

Trialist Joe Corbett saved Harriers with a goalline clearance after a Town free kick caused a scramble in the goalmouth and then Harriers quickly switched play to the other end.  Hollis found James Dyke who was making an overlapping run, his cross to the far post was headed over by Ryan Malcolm.

After Coleshill's Dean Kelly had gone close with a 20-yard shot Harriers broke the deadlock ten minutes before the break; Lee Williams crossed low from the left across the front of the penalty area to Hollis who drilled a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.  Daniel Ludlow went close with a shot across the face of goal after Hollis' cross had been half cleared and then in the last minute of the half Corbett added a second with a looping header from Ludlow's free-kick.  The action was not done for the first half, however, as Coleshill were reduced to ten men in stoppage time when Higgins was sent off after kicking out a Ludlow.

After the break the play ebbed and flowed from end to end in the early stages.  Leigh Clayton was caught in possession by Kelly who had a clear run on goal but Steve Parker came out quickly to save at his feet.  Malcolm then set up Scott Eaton who shot weakly at Ryan Byefield in the visitors' goal and then Justin Best split the Harriers defence open for Stuart Lee but he shot wide across the face of goal.

As the game wore on Harriers began to impose themselves and took control with three quick goals in the last twenty minutes.  Hollis set up the third with a cross to Ludlow who had time in the penalty area to take a touch before slotting a low shot past Byefield.  Another low shot, this time from Williams, made it four and then Hollis was again involved in the fifth, his run and cross creating the opening for Eaton who scored with a shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area.  Corbett could have added a sixth in the closing minutes but he blazed over from close range after Ludlow and Eaton had set up the chance.