Harriers recorded a crucial away win, picking up three more points to keep them moving away from the relegation zone, and putting a dent in the promotion challenge of Yeovil ending their run of six consecutinve league wins at Huish Park.
Jan Molby made a number of changes to the team that had surrendered so easily to York City in the previous game; out went Andy White, Sam Shilton, Matt Gadsby and Steve Burton and in their places came Lee Jenkins for his debut, Graham Ward, Sean Parrish and John Williams. Despite the changes Harriers struggled to improve their performance early int he game, as did the hosts, because the first half was played in gale force winds and torrential rain that made decent football impossible. Harriers were lucky not to be reduced to ten men within the first fifteen minutes after Craig Hinton clashed with Kevin Gall; the Harriers man took exception to Gall kicking the ball away to prevent a free kick being taken and lashed out at him. The Yeovil striker went down as if he had been shot but referee Hegley only showed a yellow card to each player.
The home team had the first decent chance shortly afterwards, Kirk Jackson headed wide from Lee Johnson's right-wing cross. At the other end Adie Smith got forward at a corner but headed into the side netting. The conditions were keeping the number of scoring chances down and it was not until first-half stoppage time that Harriers took the lead: the ball went out to Gadsby, on as a sub for Smith, on the right wing and he whipped in a low cross to the far post where John Williams, unmarked, was able to tap the ball in from close range - although the standing water on the pitch almost kept it out of the net.
Yeovil drew level just before the hour mark, Paul Terry played a long ball out of defence straight through the middle of the Harriers rearguard for top scorer Gall to run on to. The striker beat the advancing Stuart Brock to the ball and managed to lift it over him as he slipped on the treacherous surface. As the game wore on it opened up more, the weather eased and the rain stopped, and both teams went in search of victory. Twenty minutes from time Harriers almost regained the lead; John Williams got free on hte right and his cross to the far post just evaded the reach of Parrish.
The winning goal came minutes later; Colin Pluck upended Graham Ward just outside the penalty area to give away a free kick in range for a Danny Williams shot. Wayne Hatswell surprised everyone by taking the kick instead and his shot beat the wall and reached Gadsby at the far post who steered the ball back across goal and Parrish got in just ahead of John Williams to turn it into the bottom corner.
A surging run from Dean Bennett created anothrer chance in the final ten minutes; he outpaced the defence and picked out John Williams on the right but his shot was hit straight at Weale. At the other end a Johnson free-kick from 30 yards tested Brock but it was hit straight at him and was easy to deal with. In the last minute Harriers had a scare when Hinton missed the ball allowing Adam Stansfield a run at goal; instead of shooting, however, he played the ball square towards Gall and Harriers somehow scrambled it clear. Brock came to the rescue again in stoppage time; another Johnson free-kick beat the wal and the keeper just got a hand to it to tip it onto the crossbar. Harriers scrambled it clear and managed to see out the rest of the time to take all of the points. |