Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 11, 2018 11:40:50 GMT
Ah, well...
Here is my report from last night for COWS:
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KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS v COUNTY: MATCH THREAD (10/04/2018)
By Hatter in Macc
No Seventh Heaven For County, As Harriers Harry Hatters
County’s winning run, which had stretched to six matches, came to an end under the lights at Aggborough following an entertaining contest with fellow play-off contenders Kidderminster Harriers.
The Hatters played their part in a game of often-high quality, but more clinical finishing and some solid defending saw the hosts claim the three points, as well as recording a League ‘double’.
Jim Gannon, who was breaking a record for County Managers by taking charge of the team for the 380th time, fielded the same 4-2-3-1 starting line-up that had served the Hatters well in their previous three fixtures. And the substitutes remained unchanged from those named against Tamworth and at North Ferriby.
But, after just four minutes, the Hatters found themselves trailing - courtesy of former County goalkeeper Ian Ironside’s son, Joe, who had scored both goals for ‘Kiddy’ in the reverse-fixture at Edgeley Park towards the end of October. A quickly-taken throw from the right eventually found the left foot of Ironside Junior, whose shot from the edge of the box took a deflection to squirm past Ben Hinchliffe and into the bottom-left corner.
County responded strongly to falling behind - and, one minute later, twice went incredibly close to levelling. Home ‘keeper Brandon Hall parried a volley by Jason Oswell, before James Pearson cleared the rebound off the line ahead of the on-rushing Rhys Turner.
The Hatters only had four further minutes to wait before going one better and getting back on terms. Jimmy Ball began the move in County’s half - and then the National League North’s recently-crowned Player of the Month for March finished it, after exchanging passes with Turner on the left and cutting in to drill a left-footed strike past Hall inside the near upright.
The game continued in open, frenetic vein, as, first, Matty Warburton curled an effort around he right post, before Turner’s shot from the left of the home box was caught by Hall.
But with 20 minutes played, and with their second shot of the evening, the hosts edged back in front, after launching a counter-attack that culminated in Dan Bradley’s through-ball to James McQuilkin on the right side of the County area, and a clipped shot by McQuilkin over Hinchliffe.
After such a high-octane start to proceedings, it was inevitable that play would quieten down a tad. And so it did for a while - although, before the first half was out, Hinchliffe did well to tip Bradley’s thunderbolt of a shot beyond the right post, and, at the other end, Jimmy O’Connor somehow managed to clear Adam Thomas’ low cross from the left while facing his own goal.
HALF-TIME: Kidderminster 2 (Ironside, 4; McQuilkin, 20), County 1 (Ball, 9).
The end-to-end exchanges continued immediately following half-time, as the Hatters earned their first corners of the night ahead of one for the hosts. But eight minutes after the resumption, it was Kiddy who came closest to scoring - and in bizarre fashion, too, as a Hinchliffe clearance hit Jamie Stott and then fell to home captain Ryan Croasdale, whose touch struck the left post before being smothered by County’s grateful and relieved Number One.
A minute before the hour was up, however, the Harriers made no mistake following another of their typically swift counters - on this occasion, after a County corner. Bradley, with two team-mates for company, ran with the ball before unleashing a fine shot home from the edge of the box.
Emmanuel Sonupé replaced Bradley almost immediately afterwards, and the pacy substitute asked questions of County on the left - from where the winger fired one low shot narrowly shy of the far post and another into the near-side netting.
The Hatters made every effort, albeit in vain, to press during the closing stages, as Oswell headed a Warburton free-kick wide of the right post, Turner blasted over - and Oswell again went close, while Hall was out of position, only to see his goal-bound shot deflected behind by the resolute O’Connor.
FULL-TIME: Kidderminster 3 (Ironside, 4; McQuilkin, 20; Bradley, 59), County 1 (Ball, 9).
Team: Hinchliffe, Cowan, Duxbury (Stephenson, 66), Winter (Capt.) (Turnbull, 62), Clarke, Stott, Thomas, Ball, Oswell, Warburton, Turner.
Unused Subs: O’Halloran, Ormson, Smalley.
Attendance: 1,722 (236 representing The Twelfth Man).
Here is my report from last night for COWS:
*****************************************************************************************************
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS v COUNTY: MATCH THREAD (10/04/2018)
By Hatter in Macc
No Seventh Heaven For County, As Harriers Harry Hatters
County’s winning run, which had stretched to six matches, came to an end under the lights at Aggborough following an entertaining contest with fellow play-off contenders Kidderminster Harriers.
The Hatters played their part in a game of often-high quality, but more clinical finishing and some solid defending saw the hosts claim the three points, as well as recording a League ‘double’.
Jim Gannon, who was breaking a record for County Managers by taking charge of the team for the 380th time, fielded the same 4-2-3-1 starting line-up that had served the Hatters well in their previous three fixtures. And the substitutes remained unchanged from those named against Tamworth and at North Ferriby.
But, after just four minutes, the Hatters found themselves trailing - courtesy of former County goalkeeper Ian Ironside’s son, Joe, who had scored both goals for ‘Kiddy’ in the reverse-fixture at Edgeley Park towards the end of October. A quickly-taken throw from the right eventually found the left foot of Ironside Junior, whose shot from the edge of the box took a deflection to squirm past Ben Hinchliffe and into the bottom-left corner.
County responded strongly to falling behind - and, one minute later, twice went incredibly close to levelling. Home ‘keeper Brandon Hall parried a volley by Jason Oswell, before James Pearson cleared the rebound off the line ahead of the on-rushing Rhys Turner.
The Hatters only had four further minutes to wait before going one better and getting back on terms. Jimmy Ball began the move in County’s half - and then the National League North’s recently-crowned Player of the Month for March finished it, after exchanging passes with Turner on the left and cutting in to drill a left-footed strike past Hall inside the near upright.
The game continued in open, frenetic vein, as, first, Matty Warburton curled an effort around he right post, before Turner’s shot from the left of the home box was caught by Hall.
But with 20 minutes played, and with their second shot of the evening, the hosts edged back in front, after launching a counter-attack that culminated in Dan Bradley’s through-ball to James McQuilkin on the right side of the County area, and a clipped shot by McQuilkin over Hinchliffe.
After such a high-octane start to proceedings, it was inevitable that play would quieten down a tad. And so it did for a while - although, before the first half was out, Hinchliffe did well to tip Bradley’s thunderbolt of a shot beyond the right post, and, at the other end, Jimmy O’Connor somehow managed to clear Adam Thomas’ low cross from the left while facing his own goal.
HALF-TIME: Kidderminster 2 (Ironside, 4; McQuilkin, 20), County 1 (Ball, 9).
The end-to-end exchanges continued immediately following half-time, as the Hatters earned their first corners of the night ahead of one for the hosts. But eight minutes after the resumption, it was Kiddy who came closest to scoring - and in bizarre fashion, too, as a Hinchliffe clearance hit Jamie Stott and then fell to home captain Ryan Croasdale, whose touch struck the left post before being smothered by County’s grateful and relieved Number One.
A minute before the hour was up, however, the Harriers made no mistake following another of their typically swift counters - on this occasion, after a County corner. Bradley, with two team-mates for company, ran with the ball before unleashing a fine shot home from the edge of the box.
Emmanuel Sonupé replaced Bradley almost immediately afterwards, and the pacy substitute asked questions of County on the left - from where the winger fired one low shot narrowly shy of the far post and another into the near-side netting.
The Hatters made every effort, albeit in vain, to press during the closing stages, as Oswell headed a Warburton free-kick wide of the right post, Turner blasted over - and Oswell again went close, while Hall was out of position, only to see his goal-bound shot deflected behind by the resolute O’Connor.
FULL-TIME: Kidderminster 3 (Ironside, 4; McQuilkin, 20; Bradley, 59), County 1 (Ball, 9).
Team: Hinchliffe, Cowan, Duxbury (Stephenson, 66), Winter (Capt.) (Turnbull, 62), Clarke, Stott, Thomas, Ball, Oswell, Warburton, Turner.
Unused Subs: O’Halloran, Ormson, Smalley.
Attendance: 1,722 (236 representing The Twelfth Man).