Express & Star

Report: Kidderminster Harriers 0 Bromley 1

Kidderminster Harriers' relegation fight suffered a massive blow through a controversial refereeing decision and a goalkeeping blunder.

Published

The setback at home to Bromley left bottom-of-the-table Harriers 10 points away from safety with 11 matches left.

The game hinged on a 79th-minute decision by referee Alan Young who turned down appeals for what looked like a blatant penalty.

Kidderminster substitute Evan Garnett was brought down by Bromley skipper Rob Swaine.

The incident infuriated the Aggborough faithful, who then watched their side concede an 86th-minute goal when goalkeeper Dean Snedker misjudged a free-kick from Joe Anderson.#

It was a killer blow for deflated Harriers who will be desperately hoping for better luck in tomorrow night's clash at play-off chasing Braintree Town.

Bromley, making their first-ever visit to Aggborough, breathed a huge sigh of relief when Kidderminster's penalty appeals were ignored by the Cambridgeshire-based referee.

His decision was described as "complete and utter incompetence" by Harriers' chief Colin Gordon.

He said: "How can their captain come to me after the game and say 'sorry chaps it was a stonewall penalty?' He was the one who brought Evan down.

"The referee's assistants said it was a penalty, but the referee says he thought Evan had overrun the ball.

"It's a shambles. Do they not realise these decisions cost people money, jobs and livelihoods."

Kidderminster, beaten 3-2 at Bromley in September, went close to grabbing the lead on a couple of occasions during the first half.

Both opportunities fell to Kelvin Langmead, the first coming in the 15th minute when he had a header cleared off the line.

The defender then had another effort well saved by goalkeeper Alan Julian.

Harriers' misery was complete when Snedker failed to deal with a free-kick by Anderson whose late winner left the hosts needing a miracle to avoid relegation.

Gordon said: "We've conceded a rubbish goal and our goalkeeper has apologised because it was a huge mistake.

"We didn't play well, but we were still in the game and we did our jobs. It's just soul destroying for all of us."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.