Scunthorpe United 2(1) v (0)1 Kidderminster Harriers

A battling performance was not enough to save injury hit Harriers from defeat at Glanford Park against high-flying Scunthorpe United who take a share of the lead at the top of the table.

Because of injury, illness and suspension Harriers were without Johnny Mullins, Tom Bennett and Lee Jenkins, but John Danby played despite suffering from mumps.  There were recalls to the side for Abdou Sall, who responded with his best performance of the season, and Ian Foster; Simon Weaver moved to right back to cover for Mullins and Gary Birch was deployed as a defensive midfielder.  With Chris Beardsley as a lone striker, and Birch in his deep role, it was clear that Harriers' plan was to stifle and frustrate United and for long spells it seemed as though it would work.

The planning could have all been for nothing, however, when in the very first minute new signing Jon Walters broke clear of the Harriers defence and lobbed the onrushing Danby from just outside the penalty area.  Fortunately for Harriers his shot drifted wide of Danby's right-hand post.  After soaking up pressure for twenty minutes Harriers fell behind in controversial circumstances; Weaver fouled veteran winger Peter Beagrie near the touchline, the free kick was half cleared and played back into the penalty area by Matt Sparrow and it fell to Ian Baraclough in a suspiciously offside-looking position who drilled it past Danby from close range.

Shortly afterwards Harriers opened up the home defence but their only reward was a yellow card for Beardsley.  John McGrath split the United back line open with a long pass that Beardsley latched onto and nodded past Paul Musselwhite in the home goal, there was the slightest of contacts between keeper and striker but Beardsley went down as if he had been shot and referee Carl Boyeson had no hesitation in showing the yellow card to the Harriers man for diving.  Harriers didn't really cause Musselwhite any problems in the first half, in fact they didn't muster a single shot at goal although there were a number of half chances - the best probably Billy Jones' free-kick that curled across the face of goal with nobody close enough to get a touch to turn it past Musselwhite.  At the other end Walters made a good turn and shot from outside the penalty area only to see his shot come back off the post.

The second half started in the same fashion with Harriers content to soak up pressure and look to hit United on the counter.  There could have been a second goal for the home team, however, when Richard Kell's flick fell to Steve Torpey who turned and shot narrowly wide of Danby's left-hand post.  After this let-off Harriers got themselves back into the game with the equaliser.  Jones and Dean Keates combined on the left wing with the latter getting to the byline before crossing to the near post, the ball was half cleared but fell only as far as Birch who returned it briskly and it deflected away from the dive of Musselwhite for him to record his second goal in as many games.  Moments later Birch could have put Harriers ahead with a 20-yard effort that Musselwhite saved and then debutant Bertrand Cozic ran half the length of the field in pursuit of Beardsley's flick only to be shepherded away from goal by Andy Butler before he could get a shot in.

With twelve minutes remaining The Iron regained the advantage; a long ball out of defence split Sall and Wayne Hatswell and substitute Paul Hayes raced on to it and clipped it over the advancing Danby into the far corner.  Hayes was then shown the yellow card after he took his shirt off in celebration.  As time ran down United could have gone further ahead when Beagrie's cross found Hayes who saw his shot saved by Danby and then Kell put his follow-up shot wide.  A change to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation and six minutes of stoppage time were not enough for Harriers to force another equaliser and they were forced to return home empty-handed, all of their good work in the previous game undone.