Tough Night for the Harriers

Marna leads Kettering to a 1-0 Victory over Kidderminster

By Graham Ward and Andy Hulcoop

After early pressure from Kettering, Kidderminster Harriers began to create chances in a scrappy first half at Aggborough. Kidderminster were to looking to avenge last year's agonizing last minute defeat against Kettering, which led to them missing out on a playoff spot.

The small but vocal Kettering away support were not slow to remind the home fans of this, and were encouraged early on as Damian Spencer flashed a shot across the Harriers goal. Kettering continued to press with Seddon's long range effort forcing a good save from Harriers keeper Dean Coleman. Kidderminster gradually began to settle, and should have took the lead after Brain Smikle fired just over from 10 yards after excellent play from Courtney and Mathews down the right flank.

Kettering continued to look dangerous on the break, and the pacey Francis Green could have punished the Harriers after a well worked one-two with Fowler on the stroke of half time.

The second half became a tale of two substitutions, after a slow start from Kidderminster, Darryl Knights started to assert his influence on the game and on 59 minutes played in Smikle whose shot was tipped round the post by Kettering's goalkeeper. The game turned when Knights was replaced by Kidderminster and Kettering brought Marna into the game.

Marna's pace started to cause Kidderminster problems and on 83 minutes a jinxing run into the area resulted in a miss time lunge from Bennett, he dispatched the resulting penalty high into the roof of the net. The Harriers started to look a beaten side. However, it was nearly leveled in stoppage time with a powerful header that had the keeper beaten, but was cleared off the line by Jennings at the post.