Match Report

SUMMARY:

In a "game of two halves", Altrincham's spirited second-half performance did not get its reward and the game was ultimately decided by debutant Andy Scott's 13th-minute error. The left back, signed from Kidsgrove in midweek, dwelt too long on what should have been a clearance and was dispossessed. Though Coburn made an excellent save from Constable's resulting shot, Smikle was on hand to convert the loose ball. Despite the gift-goal, the Harriers' first half performance merited their lead, though at times their physical approach deserved more decisive treatment from referee Quinn. But in the second half Alty dominated and the visitors were indebted to 6ft 7inch keeper Bevan who made several good saves, the best being to divert substitute Chris Senior's late effort over the bar. For Alty, Peter Band was a deserved Man of the Match.

SCORERS

REFEREE: Mr. P. Quinn(Exeter)

Alty brought in new signing Andy Scott at left-back, a move which allowed Warren Peyton to move forward into his preferred midfield position on the left. The other recent Alty signing, Chris Senior, was on the bench along with Pat McFadden who came into the squad for Gary Scott to form an attacking bench in which Stephen Rose was the only defensive cover. O'Neill rejoined Little up front after his recent games on the flanks. Both of Alty's pre-match injury doubts, Owen and Aspinall, started the game but Steve Bushell remained sidelined by the calf injury he picked up at Halifax.

The Harriers were without Christie and freekick expert Harkness as well as the suspended Penn. Sedgemore, White and Mikle were three players who had been subs for the Aggborough game against Altrincham who, today, were starters for the Harriers.

BACKGROUND:

Kidderminster had looked a very ordinary side when they had been fortunate to beat Altrincham at Aggborough earlier this season, thanks to a controversial penalty decision. But since then they had markedly improved and arrived at Moss Lane after seven successive wins in the Conference, whilst Alty hovered perilously in twentieth position after their four-game unbeaten run had been ended last Saturday by Woking. Although striker Iyseden Christie was out injured,Kidderminster had the Walsall loanee, James Constable up front alongside the giant former Crewe striker Andy White. Indeed Kidderminster are a big side, not least the 6 foot 7inch former Tamworth stopper, Scott Bevan, in their goal.

ALTRINCHAM (red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks) 1. Stuart COBURN; 2. Steve ASPINALL, 17. Karl MUNROE, 4. Peter BAND, 22. Andy SCOTT; 7. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 8. Val OWEN, 11. Warren PEYTON; 9. Colin LITTLE, 12. Joe O'NEILL. Subs: 10. Rod THORNLEY, 16. Peter THOMSON, 18. Pat McFADDEN, 19. Chris SENIOR, 20. Stephen ROSE.

Altrincham substitutes:

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS (All blue): 1. Scott BEVAN, 2. Jeff KENNA, 6. Stuart WHITEHEAD, 5. Mark CREIGHTON, 11. Michael BLACKWOOD; 18. Brian SMIKLE, 7. Jake SEDGEMORE, 4. Gavin HURREN, 15. Simon RUSSELL; 26. James CONSTABLE, 9. Andy WHITE. Subs: 13. Steve TAYLOR, 14. Luke REYNOLDS, 17. Michael McGRATH, 19. Scott EATON, 27. Dean CRAVEN.

Despite the game starting in bright, if breezy conditions, the floodlights were on from the kick off at Moss Lane, with Kidderminster starting the proceedings as they attacked the Golf Road End, now renamed the Dawn Abbott Stand after Dawn had won the STAR Christmas raffle prize to re-name that part of the ground. The visitors started the better and Altrincham also suffered an early setback as Val Owen, who had been a doubtful starter, went down and needed lengthy treatment to his right leg, after just three minutes. Though he continued, he had to be replaced at the interval.

Manager Graham Heathcote was soon instructing his side to "Get at them" after their slow start. But, in fact, Alty almost fell behind in the sixth minute when Constable crossed from the right and Smekle fired only narrowly wide of Coburn's right upright. The visitors were playing with a confidence engendered by their excellent run of victories. Alty's best early monent came when an excellent cross from the right by Little was met by Peyton but he could only direct his back-post header past the post. A foul by Aspinall then gave Kidderminster a freekick 20 yards out but Sedgemore's kick was cleared After Little had been tripped soon afterwards, Alty failed to make anything of the freekick. But Bevan was lucky when O'Neill blocked his routine clearance to see the ball loop high into the air, giving his defence time to cover for his gaffe and when the ball came to Peyton, his shot ran to the grateful keeper. Soon, Hurren, an injury doubt before the game, went down and was substituted by Craven (12 mins). But despite this setback, within a minute the visitors had taken the lead, albeit being gifted the goal by Altrincham. Debutant Andy Scott had ample to time to clear from 20 yards out but dwelt on the ball and lost possession, leaving Constable a clear sight of Coburn and the Alty goal. The Altrincham keeper made a superb save, to his left beating the ball away but it ran to the unmarked Smikle who had an easy task of putting it into the empty net (13 mins).

After the restart Aspinall got in a cross but it was too high for Little. Son afterwards Little went past a defender only to be cynically tripped just outside the box but, though a freekick was given, there was no hint of a booking from Mr Quinn. Lawton wasted the freekick from 20 yards and soon Band had to make an important interception at the other end, following one of several very long clearances from Bevan. Manager Graham Heathcote had by now moved down from the stand to the Alty technical area to gee up his side. Soon Lawton won a freekick but nothing came of it, but for Kiddy, the tall White and the bustling Constable were proving a handful for the Alty defence. However, when White caught Aspinall in the back with his elbow, referee Quinn was again lenient in simply awarding a freekick but taking no name (22 mins).

As yet Altrincham had presented little threat to the visitors' goal and, indeed, Band soon had to be attentive again to see off Constable. When Constable again offended, fouling Band, he still received no more than a freekick as punishment. Peyton's resulting cross was poor but soon afterwards, for the second time in the match, Little sent across an excellent ball from the right and Peyton rose well but headed wide at the back post (25 mins). Then, a fine run up the middle by Blackwood past Lawton led to Coburn having to block Constable's shot, though the offside flag did go up - very late (27 mins). Soon a Peyton cross went disappointingly to Bevan after a decent build-up but not long afterwards, an Apsinall cross set up Peyton for a well-hit volley at the back post which Bevan saved well (29 mins). This was Alty's first meaningful shot on target.

But Kidderminster immediately won a corner from Smikle's cross. From the corner, the ball came out to Russell, but the blond wide man fired well off target. Craven's late challenge gave Alty a freekick but, again, no further action was taken against the offender. A late challenge in the back of Little by Creighton likewise only yielded a freekick. Soon White found Constable but, though he teed up his shot well, he then volleyed over the bar (35 mins). Altrincham continued to labour but were not helped when a late, studs up challenge on the back of Robbie Lawton's leg left the Alty captain shouting out with pain as he went down for what was to be lengthy treatment. Amazingly a perfunctory word with Blackwood, the offender, and the award of a freekick was the best weapon that the ineffectual Mr Quinn could muster from his armoury of refereeing sanctions.

But Alty now began to improve after their sluggish start and from Peyton's cross the ball came to Little on the right. His first effort was weakly struck but the alert O'Neill nipped in front of the diving Bevan and diverted the ball back to Little, whose second effort was much better and produced a corner . However, Bevan collected Aspinall's corner, from the right after which the Alty manager asked his right-back why he had not delivered it deeper into the box. Soon, Creighton wrestled Little over to concede yet another freekick and, following the freekick, Alty maintained some pressure. A minute before the end of the first 45 minutes, Little had a shot blocked by Creighton and then, from Aspinall's cross, O'Neill's header was held by Bevan at the foot of the post (44 mins).

The offences continued as White fouled Chalmers, just as three added minutes were announced. After an error by Owen White was all over Chalmers to bring another freekick Alty's way. In added time a Peyton cross came to Bevan as O'Neill challenged but then Owen had to be alert to stop Russell after he took advantage of Chalmers's misplaced pass (45+3 mins). The half-time whistle came with Kidderminster deservedly leading even though their only goal had come gift wrapped from Altrincham.

At the interval Rod Thornley replaced the injured Val Owen. Rod went to the right flank as Lawton moved into Owen's position in central midfield. The home side started the second half at a better tempo than the first period but the first few minutes had little of note to report as play was confined largely to the strip of ground along the Popular Side. Indeed, Alty boss Graham Heathcote was soon exhorting the referee to clamp down on Kidderminster timewasting whilst also yelling at Colin Little to get further forward. After Constable had gone down after a challenge by Scott, for which no foul was given, the referee bizarrely stopped play before decreeing a bounce up some ten yards away near the Alty left corner flag. Quite what that was all about was a mystery to most at Moss Lane (54 mins).

When Munroe conceded a freekick against Constable, the resulting freekick struck the wall and a corner resulted to Kidderminster, which Coburn caught from Sedgemore's kick (56 mins). Thornley was beginning to run at the Harriers as Alty now began to get on top. Soon, following a Chalmers throw, Thornley fed Aspinall and from his cross Joe O'Neill made a diving header which went narrowly wide of Bevan's left post (57 moins). Band then made a good challenge, only to be fouled by the combative White. But Kidderminster almost opened up Alty soon afterwards when Blackwood surged up the middle and fed White. He was half-checked but the ball ran to Smikle, who had only Coburn to beat, but he volleyed miles over the top from 15 yards (59 mins).

Alty now pressed forward but their best effort at this stage was when Little had half a chance but delayed his effort. However, moments later, Little did much better, forcing a good save at the near post from a firm shot from the right (61 mins). Alty's improvement was underlined as they now won a corner and from Peyton's kick the Kiddy defenders twice cleared the ball desperately off the line in quick succession. Yet another foul by Constable, on Munroe, gave Alty a freekick from which O'Neill was obstructed. Thornley then did well but could only win a throw. As Kidderminster remained on the back foot, manager Yates brought on a new striker, Reynolds for White, who left the field to a chorus of booing from the Main Stand (66 mins). Soon afterwards, a fine shot from 25 yards by Chalmers went narrowly wide. As Alty continued to push forward, they made an attacking change with Senior coming on for left-back Scott (70 mins). Peyton now dropped to left-back as Senior occupied the left wing. After a well hit cross shot from Thornley on the right had been held by Bevan, the keeper's throw out was intercepted by Senior but the danger was closed off by the visitors. But it was Altrincham who were on top now.

When O'Neill made a late challenge he too benefitted from referee Quinn's "no cards" policy. At the back Band and Munroe continued to keep the visitors quiet but play was mostly towards the Kidderminster end. Indeed Band got forward and from Chalmers's throw headed at Bevan. More good work from Thornley earned Alty a corner after 78 minutes, following which Creighton went down injured and after treatment hobbled off, though he returned to the game soon afterwards. At this point Peter Thomson replaced Joe O'Neill up front for Altrincham (81 mins). Unlike the referee, visiting manager Mark Yates took exception to a challenge from Peyton and the Alty left-back and the manager briefly exchanged pleasantries about it.

Kidderminster relieved the pressure when Reynolds got the better of Band and forced Coburn to make a good save, tipping the ball over the bar (83 mins). The Harriers now managed to keep Alty at the other end for a minute or two before Thornley had a shot blocked by a visitor, from Thomson's neat lay off. Then Lawton went close with a shot from the right made with the outside of his right foot but which curled past the back post (87 mins). As time ticked away Senior did well on the left and picked out Little in the centre but his well hit shot produced a good save from Bevan (89 mins). As four minutes of added time were indicated, Alty continued to go forward and from a fine cross ball by Aspinall, Senior got into the box and, despite being jostled, got in a shot which deflected off Bevan over the bar for a corner (90+2 mins). Kidderminster made an unnecessary substitution as McGrath replaced the earlier substitute Craven (90+2 mins). Alty's hopes drifted away as Kiddeminster gained a late corner and there was almost disaster in the closing seconds when Munroe allowed a through ball to go under his foot leaving Constable clear. But the Walsall loanee fired wide of Coburn's right post (90+4 mins). 2-0 would have been a distortion of the game as Altrincham's second half performance was actually worthy of a point.

Despite gifting the Harriers the only goal, Andy Scott recovered to have a solid game at left-back, but Peter Band was a deserved Man of the Match. Rod Thornley and Chris Senior also had impacts after coming on as substitutes but the game was lost in the first half when Kidderminster were allowed to set the tempo.