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Harriers' Championship aspirations suffered a setback when they allowed rivals Bedworth to score twice in the last ten minutes to take the points and maintain their unbeaten league record.
United started brightly and had the first chance to open the scoring; Farqurharson played a ball in low from the right that Bret Clowes in the Harriers goal could only parry, the loose ball went straight to Lee Moore but United's leading scorer couldn't capitalise and Clowes was able to grab the ball at the second attempt. Soon afterwards Luke Williams found himself in space in the Harriers penalty area but his shot posed more threat to the corner flag than the goal.
Aaron Farrell should have given Harriers the lead midway through the half when he received a long ball through the middle but his lob from the edge of the penalty area drifted just wide of the post. Later in the half Farrell had another chance to break the deadlock with a good run into the penalty area but United keeper James Earl did well to push his shot away, then in the last minute of the half he shot just over the bar.
Farrell's persistence finally paid off a minute after the interval; the ball was played in to him from the right and he judged his lob from 20 yards perfectly to leave Earl stranded in the middle of nowhere grasping at thin air. The game was open and both teams were looking to take control; Clowes saved Harriers when he just got his fingertips to Farqurharson's cross with Moore lurking, Harriers counter-attacked quickly and Paul Bonar's shot was saved by Earl.
Paul Kelly made a good run on the left wing and his cross picked out the unmarked Moore in the middle of the Harriers goalmouth but he headed over the bar. At the other end Earl just managed to keep out a shot from Michael Xiourouppa with an outstretched leg. As the game ebbed and flowed a Harriers attack broke down and United switched the play to the other end, the ball crossed from the left to Moore on the opposite flank who had plenty of time to pick his spot before planting his shot beyond Clowes. Bedworth grew stronger as time ran out and Harriers seemed unable to create anything that would break down the visitor's defences, relying instead on too many long balls to Farrell. Deep in stoppage time Bedworth snatched the winner, Moore chased a ball through the middle of the Harriers defence and held off his marker before firing past Clowes. |