Kidderminster Harriers Youth 3(0) v (1)1 Bedworth United Youth

Harriers came from behind with three late goals to snatch a hard-fought victory over bottom club Bedworth United at Aggborough.

Despite their lowly position in the league Bedworth gave a good account of themselves, like most teams who come to Aggborough they lifted their game and got stuck in from the start.  After an even start to the game it was Harriers who were first to threaten a goal; a good passing move started by Lee Williams and involving Tom Byrne ended with Daniel Ludlow dribbling into the penalty area but he shot straight at Andrew Kemp in the United goal.  Bedworth took the lead after 17 minutes; a cross-field pass picked out George Rowley on the right and he slipped the ball through to Craig Smith who lifted it over the advancing Steve Parker and into the far corner of the net.

Almost immediately Harriers could have leveled the scores; Byrne's close range shot was blocked by the legs of Kemp, Tom Manship followed up but his shot was blocked and then Stephen Thompson fired the loose ball over the bar.  Harriers began to take control of the game and could have taken the lead after half an hour, Ludlow's low cross from the left was left by Thompson for Jermaine Hollis but his shot at the far post was well saved by Kemp.  At the other end Steve Parker pulled off an acrobatic save to push Ryan Birch's shot around the post for a corner as the visitors tried to build on their lead.

In the second half there was only one team in the game and seemed just a question of time before Harriers equalised although the way Bedworth were getting bodies in the way of the ball every time Harriers attacked there was a feeling that it could be their night.  Ludlow, who was influential throughout, went close to an equaliser, more by luck than judgment, when his in-swinging corner from the right scraped the front of the crossbar.

Fifteen minutes from the end the equaliser finally arrived; Ludlow, again, got into the penalty area on the left and pulled the ball back for Manship who unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner that gave Kemp no chance.  A minute later a second goal came to give Harriers the lead; a cross from deep on the left wing dropped invitingly to Scott Eaton at the far post who arrived late to tuck it into the bottom corner.  Bedworth's heads dropped at this double blow and there now was only the possibility of more Harriers goals; the visitors only managed one shot in the whole of the second half but Christian Baggersley dragged his shot wide.

In the closing minutes Eaton headed over from a Manship cross  but did find the target again for Harriers' third.  Mitch Butler won the ball on the right and found Manship who slid it through the United defence into the path of Eaton who lashed it past Kemp into the far corner of the net.