TLG Stat-Pack – Kidderminster Harriers form

Saturday 18th September 2004 - Coca-Cola League Two

Kidderminster Harriers 1 Macclesfield Town 0

Iyseden Christie made his belated Harriers debut

Goals: Appelby 80 (pen)

Bookings: Sall 19, Langmead 62, Christie 76

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 2290

Match Report (from www.harriers-mad.co.uk):

“A tale of two penalties provided a much-needed happy ending for Kidderminster Harriers as they beat Macclesfield Town 1-0 to move off the bottom of the table.

Harriers, who had suffered a worrying slump with five league defeats, kept their nerve to claim only their second win of the season.

Ritchie Appleby sent keeper Steve Wilson the wrong way from the spot to grab the crucial goal ten minutes from time.

Macclesfield wing-back Graham Potter had been sent off for a professional foul on sub Simon Brown, but the away side felt it was committed outside the penalty area.

However, just five minutes earlier Macclesfield missed a penalty of their own which Matthew Tipton blasted wide after falling under Steve McMahon's tackle.

The Silkmen, who had won on their last three visits to Aggborough, looked like they would claim yet another victory in Kidderminster during the first half.

They were much the better side as the hosts failed to get going and John Miles curled a good early chance wide from 12 yards.

Keeper John Danby rushed out to block from Tipton on 18 minutes and then tipped over the striker's inswinging free-kick.

Harriers were being outplayed and were only able to threaten through an Abdou Sall header two minutes before half-time which Wilson claimed easily.

Macclesfield front man Jonathan Parkin also nodded a chance too close to Danby at the other end.

Harriers looked a far better side in the second period with loan striker Kelvin Langmead involved in their best moves.

But the highly-rated Danby kept them in the game again on 55 minutes with a great fingertip save to push Tipton's low drive on to the post.

Passes from Langmead and Appleby gave Youssou Diop two great chances, but the striker, returning from injury, could not find the target with either.

Harriers sub Iyseden Christie made a bright impact on his debut and saw a point-blank header brilliantly saved by Wilson.

But in the end it was the two penalties that made the difference as Macclesfield fell to their third away defeat in a row at their bottom of the table opposition.”

Saturday 11th September 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Swansea City 3 Kidderminster Harriers 0

Kidderminster Harriers: John Danby; Lee Jenkins (Micky Mellon 54), Chris McHale, Wayne Hatswell, Steve Burton; Simon Brown, Steve McMahon, Kelvin Langmead, Richie Appelby; Ian Foster (Stuart Roberts 64), Jesper Christiansen. Subs not used: Daniel Lewis, Iyseden Christie, Jamie Gleeson.

Goals: none

Booked: Appelby 30, McMahon 61

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 6462

Match Report (from www.harriers-mad.co.uk):

“A Paul Connor double and Lee Trundle gem gave Swansea a deserved victory over a poor Kidderminster outfit.

Connor struck in the 16th and 87th minutes with Trundle's trickery coming eight minutes after the interval.

The visitors were first on the attack when Simon Brown slipped Kelvin Langmead through in the 14th minute but Kevin Austin deflected the goalbound shot away for a corner.

Two minutes later the Swans went ahead in bizarre fashion when Chris McHale and keeper John Danby collided while trying to clear an Andy Robinson corner.

While the keeper was lying on the ground Andy Gurney sent the ball back into the danger area and Connor deflected into the empty net to gift the home side the lead.

Robinson almost doubled the lead in the 49th minute when he cut inside and drilled a low shot against the foot of the post with the keeper well beaten.

Trundle made his class tell four minutes later when turned visiting skipper Wayne Hatswell in the penalty area before driving his shot into the far corner.

The Swans made it 3-0 in the closing stages when substitute Leon Britton fed Connor who smashed his rising shot into the roof of the net.

Kidderminster manager Jan Molby and Swansea boss Kenny Jackett had words on the touchline after the referee allowed the opening goal and they were at it again in the centre of the pitch after the final whistle.

Molby will have his work cut trying to lift his side who drop to bottom of the table after this defeat.”

Saturday 4th September 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Kidderminster Harriers 1 Leyton Orient 2

Gary Alexander struck the first blow for Orient

Goal: Foster 89

Booked: Jenkins 51, McMahon 64, McHale 68

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 2367

Match Report (from www.harriers-mad.co.uk):

“The gloom deepened at Aggborough as Kidderminster Harriers slumped to their fourth successive league defeat, 2-1 against Leyton Orient.

Jan Molby's disjointed side were never a match for a well-organised Orient who comfortably stretched their unbeaten league run to six matches.

A goal in each half from Gary Alexander and Matthew Lockwood clinched the points and took their tally to eight points out of 12 on their travels.

Ian Foster snatched an 89th minute goal that raised Kidderminster's hopes of an unlikely point, but it was a rare lapse of concentration by the visitors.

Kidderminster went into the game with only one goal to show from their previous three defeats and gave a debut to striker Kelvin Langmead, signed on loan from Preston on Friday.

But, despite his honest toil up front, the striker had little chance to shine in a side desperately low on confidence.

A new look midfield with Lee Jenkins and Richie Appleby trying to engineer a way through the tight Orient rearguard did look livelier than of late.

But, despite the willing running of Simon Brown, Stuart Roberts and Langmead, the home side rarely found a way through to goal.

Orient went ahead with their first shot on target in the 20th minute.

Adrian Viveash was caught out by a long ball from Justin Miller and Alexander nipped in behind to score with a powerful angled drive.

It was the first of the season for Alexander whose impressive partnership with Lee Steele was too hot to handle for the home side.

Alexander almost got in again but was denied by keeper John Dandy and then David Hunt sliced over from a good position.

Kidderminster's best chance came on 29 minutes when Appleby and Brown set up Steve Burton whose first time shot brought a fine stop from Lee Harrison.

The match was effectively over in the 69th minute when Wayne Hatswell checked lively substitute Tom Newey and Lockwood stepped up to fire home from the penalty spot.

In the 89th minute substitute Foster squeezed between goalkeeper Harrison and Miller to cleverly pull a goal back for the home side but it came far too late.

Kidderminster boss Jan Molby said "we did not put enough effort in our previous two games but at least we were competitive this time without playing well".

"But it was disappointing when you concede two goals the way we did.

"It was harmless 70 yard ball that cost us the first goal. After that, of course, confidence gets drained and from then on we were not in a position to raise the tempo.

"It looked like being 1-0 but then we made another bad decision to give away a penalty for the second goal".

"Our two centre halves have kept us in games before but now they are not doing their jobs".

Orient's manager, Martin Ling, was delighted as his side maintained their good early season form.

"Unbeaten in six games and 12 points won is something to be proud of. Anyone knows that if you get two points from every game in the season you win the league by a country mile.

"Over the 90 minutes I think we deserved to win and it was good to see Gary Alexander on the score sheet.

"All good strikers need to get off the mark for the season and this will be a big pep-up for him.

"I thought he took his shot a little bit early but it was a very good finish".

"You are always a bit nervy when you are just one goal in front. I thought we could go out and get the second goal if we really put our foot down on the pedal".”

Monday 30th August 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Bury 4 Kidderminster Harriers 0

Kidderminster Harriers: John Danby; Lee Jenkins (Chris McHale 40), Adrian Viveash, Wayne Hatswell, Steve Burton; Simon Brown (Richie Appelby 52), Frederic Advice-Desruisseaux, Micky Mellon, Dean Keates; Stuart Roberts, Jesper Christiansen. Subs not used: Daniel Lewis, Ian Foster, Simon Russell.

Goals: none

Bookings: Mellon 55, Hatswell 74

Sent Off: Mellon 89 (second bookable offence)

Attendance: 2504

Match Report (from www.harriers-mad.co.uk):

“Bury continue their charge up the table with a four-goal drubbing of struggling Kidderminster.

Even the 71st minute dismissal of David Flitcroft for a second yellow card could not halt the Shakers' progress, against a side who were woefully bad.

To make matters worse for the visitors, they too were reduced to ten-men when Micky Mellon was sent-off in the 88th minute for a dreadful two-footed lunge on Terry Dunfield.

But by that stage the damage had already been done and Jan Molby and his team would not have been looking forward to a miserable coach journey back down the M6.

Striker Chris Porter led the way with superb goal-double for the Shakers, with leading scorer David Nugent and Flitcroft also on target as Graham Barrow's side continued their fine early season form Nugent was the first to strike for the Lancashire team, finding the back of the net in the 33rd minute.

Brian Barry-Murphy picked the striker out with a delightful pass and Nugent wasted no time in dispatching the ball into the top left-hand corner with a thunderous drive.

And 12 minutes later Porter doubled the Shakers' advantage, having only moments earlier nearly scored at the back post with an audacious diving header.

The striker took aim and found the target in first-half injury-time when Nugent managed to square the ball from an acute angle on the touchline.

Despite being sent-off, Flitcroft had an excellent game for Barrow's team - and it was he who made it 3-0 in the 59th minute.

Goal-hero Porter saw an effort blocked after some trickery inside the penalty area, but the Harriers failed to clear their lines and the ball fell invitingly for Flitcroft to pick his spot and side-foot into the right corner.

The Shakers were far from finished. Porter made sure of that as he grabbed his second of the afternoon, just five minutes later.

Nugent was again the provider and Porter made no mistake with a clinical finish which left John Danby well beaten.

Bury started the better of the two sides and dominated the early exchanges.

As early as the third minute Nugent had a left-foot shot, which Harriers goalkeeper Danby saved, before Porter passed to his fellow centre-forward who fired wide with a rasping left-foot drive.

And it was one-way traffic until the visitors had their first chance of the game, in the 40th minute, but Dean Keates saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Shakers shot-stopper Glyn Garner.

From then on Kidderminster hardly had a kick as Bury went on to complete a comprehensive victory.”

Saturday 28th August 2004 – Coca-Cola League Two

Kidderminster Harriers 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2

Nathan Tyson was on the mark as Wycombe overcame Kiddie

Goals: none

Bookings: none

Sent Off: none

Attendance: 2444

Match Report (from www.harriers-mad.co.uk):

“Impressive Wycombe Wanderers eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory at Kidderminster Harriers to maintain their unbeaten League Two record.

Wanderers were always in control against a lethargic home side who looked shattered after Tuesday's penalty shoot-out defeat to Cardiff in the Carling Cup.

The pace and movement of striker Nathan Tyson along with a classy midfield display from Clint Easton was enough to see off Harriers.

Tyson, a nominal fee bargain from Reading, bagged the opener for Tony Adams' men in the 21st minute, but the visitors did not seal their success until second half injury time through substitute Shahed Ahmed after a Tyson assist.

However, Wanderers looked in no danger against Kidderminster who relied on their opponents defence to give keeper Frank Talia problems.

Centre-half Michael Williamson sliced a clearance in alarming fashion before the interval but Talia back peddled to push the ball over the bar.

Wycombe dominated the early possession and Harriers highly-rated young keeper John Danby had to deny Tyson before Ian Stonebridge, also lively in attack, looped a half volley on the post.

Tyson notched his third goal of the season, the first conceded by Harriers, when he skinned Wayne Hatswell and steered home an Easton precise through ball.

Danby palmed a vicious Tyson drive over the bar in the 33rd minute, while Harriers struggled to threaten with two Steve Burton free-kicks headed off target.

Jan Molby's team were completely undone by Tyson who went on to hit the post in the second period after again flying past Hatswell.

The Harriers keeper produced his best to keep out a low drive and a dangerous cross-shot from the same player.

Harriers missed the chance for an equaliser two minutes from time as skipper Hatswell headed Burton's set piece straight at Talia.

And Tyson made him pay in injury time, motoring ahead of full-back Lee Jenkins and providing Ahmed with a simple tap in for his first league goal.”

Summary – the Shrimpers vs. the Magpies

(Last Five Matches)

Southend United

W2-1 (away; Notts County; League Two, Adam Barrett 2)

L1-2 (home; League Two; Wycombe Wanderers; Mark Bentley)

W4-1 (away; Rushden & Diamonds; League Two; Lawrie Dudfield 2 [1p], Tesfaye Bramble, David Bell [o.g.])

W2-1 (home; Macclesfield Town; League Two; Adam Barrett 2)

L1-2 (away; Bristol Rovers; League Two; Adam Barrett)

(Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 2, Scored 10, Conceded 7)

Kidderminster Harriers

W1-0 (home; Macclesfield Town; League Two; Richie Appelby [p])

L0-3 (away; Swansea City; League Two)

L1-2 (home; Leyton Orient; League Two; Ian Foster)

L0-4 (away; Bury; League Two)

L0-2 (home; Wycombe Wanderers; League Two)

(Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 4, Scored 2, Conceded 11)

Summary – the Shrimpers vs. the Harriers

(Blues at home and Kiddie away)

Southend United home

L1-2 (League Two; Wycombe Wanderers; Mark Bentley)

W2-1 (League Two; Macclesfield Town; Adam Barrett 2)

D0-0 (League Two; Cambridge United)

L0-2 (League Two; Cheltenham Town)

L1-2 (League Division Three; Torquay United; Lawrie Dudfield)

(Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 3, Scored 4, Conceded 7)

Kidderminster Harriers away

L0-3 (League Two; Swansea City)

L0-4 (League Two; Bury)

L1-2 (League Two; Mansfield Town; Stuart Roberts)

D0-0 (League Two; Rushden & Diamonds)

D1-1 (League Division Three; Torquay United; Wayne Hatswell)

(Won 0, Drawn 2, Lost 3, Scored 2, Conceded 10)