Kidderminster Harriers 0 Harrogate Town 2 - Report

The well organised visitors sealed a hard earned victory with goals from Joe Leesley and Dom Knowles.

It was the first time boss John Eustace’s troops had lost at home since the opening day of the season when they went down 1-0 against Chorley.

The disappointing setback also ended Kidderminster’s run of six consecutive home league victories in which they had notched 19 goals without reply.

Harriers, who drew 2-2 at Harrogate in early December thanks to a second half brace from Joe Ironside, paraded new arrival Jonathan Flatt in goal in place of thigh injury victim Brandon Hall.

Flatt has moved to Aggborough on a one month loan deal from Wolves.

The hosts were also without injured full back Joel Taylor and centre back James O’Connor.

Their places were taken by Sam Austin and James Pearson.

Harrogate, managed by former Aggborough campaigner Simon Weaver, worried Kidderminster in the seventh minute when a deflected free kick by Leesley dropped on top of the net and out for an unproductive corner.

Harriers soon responded with a sweetly struck long range shot from Elton Ngwatala which flew just wide of the target.

The visitors, however, forged ahead after a quarter of an hour through Leesley. His fierce half volley from 15 yards whizzed into the roof of the net after he had collected the ball following a fine one handed save by Flatt to thwart Mark Beck.

Kidderminster nearly equalised on 32 minutes when a powerful 20 yard free kick Declan Weeks rebounded off the bar and was headed into the net by Ironside, whose effort was ruled out for offside.

Shortly afterwards Harrogate gave the hosts cause for concern when a low cross from Leesley was just inches away from being knocked into an empty net by Beck.

The visitors took just two minutes of the second half to make it 2-0 when ex-Aggborough player Knowles fired past outstretched Flatt with a shot on the turn.

Stunned Harriers tried to get back into the game and Dan Bradley spurned a decent opportunity shortly after had he been drafted on as substitute for Weeks.

Bradley then put over a tempting cross which was headed wide from close range by George Waring who had come off the subs’ bench shortly before along with Andre Brown.

In the close stages Ngwatala went close with a blistering drive which whistled just over the bar.

Kidderminster: Flatt; Vaughan, Horsfall, O’Connor, Pearson, Austin; McQuilkin, Weeks (Bradley, 52), Croasdale; Sonupe (Brown, 62), Ironside (Waring 62), Ngwatala. Subs not used: Palmer, Truslove.

Harrogate: Belshaw; Burrell, Kitching, McCombe, Swain; Thomson (Agnew, 74), Falkingham, Emmett, Leesley; Beck, Knowles (Thewlis, 71). Subs not used: Cracknell, Ainge, Middleton.

Referee: Amy Fearn (Leics).

Attendance: 1,739 (55 away fans).