Kidderminster Harriers Youth 2(1) v (1)1 Gornal Athletic Youth

Harriers' third win of the season was enough to lift them to second in the league but was every bit as close as the scoreline suggests.

Like many teams who visit Aggborough Gornal appeared to lift their game and put up a spirited fight to keep Harriers frustrated.  The game was scrappy for large periods and didn't really come to life until Harriers took the lead midway through the first half; a right wing corner taken by Daniel Ludlow was met by Mitch Butler whose header flew into the roof of the net.  Soon afterwards Richard Evans rattled the crossbar with a 35-yard effort.

At the other end Dave Cartwright saw his shot well saved by Steve Parker and as he followed up to reach the loose ball Danny Hodnett headed it away to safety.  Before the break Matthew Senett tried his luck with a 25-yard free-kick but his shot went over the bar.  As the half drew to a close Gornal leveled the scores; confusion in the Harriers penalty area led to the ball looping up into the air and before any Harriers player could react Michael Perks headed it into the net.

Harriers needed just thirty seconds of the second half to regain the lead; Evans cross from the left and Butler beat jamie Wood in the visitors' goal with a diving header.  Harriers were the better team in the second half but they were not helped by the stop-start nature of the game as the referee was too keen to blow his whistle rather than let the play flow.  The home side should have scored more; they created a number of chances with Ludlow causing a lot of problems with his crossing from the left, he also went close to scoring himself with a free kick that Wood held well at the foot of the post.

The woodwork came into play again at both ends of the pitch; a run into the box by Scott Eaton set up Ludlow who managed to hit the bar from six yards out while at the other end a Perks free kick crashed against the bar with Parker beaten all ends up.  As the game wore on Harriers created a number of chances with Ludlow setting up chances for Eaton three times but on each occasion he was denied by Wood.  Gornal were limited to hitting long balls to their front men in the closing stages as they desperately tried to get back into the game but the Harriers defence were able to deal with them comfortably.