Kidderminster Harriers 5 Blyth Spartans 4 - Report
Newcomer James Pearson marked his National League North debut for Kidderminster Harriers by scoring twice in his side’s pulsating 5-4 win over Blyth Spartans at Aggborough.
Andre Brown, Manny Sonupe and substitute Andre Wright also got on the scoresheet for Harriers who are now unbeaten in their last five home games.
David McTiernan and Dale Hopson were on target for Spartans in a thrilling clash in which five goals were scored inside the opening 25 minutes.
Influential midfielder James McQuilkin and captain Ryan Croasdale returned to Kidderminster’s starting line-up after a spell on the sidelines while newcomer Pearson came in for his league debut.
Harriers, facing Blyth in a league match for the first time, got off to a great start by forging ahead in the third minute when a fine move involving Joel Taylor and Joe Ironside led to Brown sweeping the ball in from ten yards for his fourth goal in the last four matches.
It was a disappointing start to the visitors’ 500-mile round to Aggborough where manager John Eustace’s men were back in action after a hectic spell of three away matches.
Harriers, whose only two previous encounters against Spartans were in the FA Trophy and FA Cup, continued to push forward with Brown having a goalbound shot deflected for an unproductive corner before Sonupe had an effort saved on the line at the second attempt by goalkeeper Peter Jameson.
Blyth, last season’s Evo-Stik Northern Premier League champions, hit back to equalise on 17 minutes when Danny Maguire slipped the ball through to unmarked Hopson who scored despite a scrambled attempt to save by Aggborough goalkeeper Brandon Hall.
The visitors went ahead two minutes later when Harriers failed to clear a corner which enabled McTiernan to volley home from six yards.
Harriers equalised on 23 minutes with a powerful header from Pearson before the Northumberland outfit went in front again with a glancing header from McTiernan following a cross from Adam Wrightson in the 25th minute.
Kidderminster, with two wins and two draws in their previous four home games, made a positive start to the second half with Brown and Ironside both having close range efforts kept out of the net by Jameson’s legs.
They got back on level terms in the 56th minute when Sonupe fired home from the penalty spot after he had been fouled inside the box by McTiernan.
Eustace’men then went 4-3 ahead two minutes later with a bullet header by Pearson following a perfectly flighted corner from Sonupe.
They made it 5-3 on 78 minutes a corner was headed by Tyrone Williams to Wright who nodded in from close range.
Blyth pulled it back to 5-4 when Hopson cracked the ball in from 20 yards in the 85th minute of a goal crazy encounter.
Teams
Kidderminster: Hall; Williams, Pearson, Horsfall, Taylor; McQuilkin (Bradley, 46), Croasdale, Ngwatala; Brown (Wright, 66), Ironside, Sonupe. Subs not used: Weeks, Austin, Digie
Blyth: Jameson; Cartwright, Buddle, Hutchinson, Liddle; Wrightson (Horner 73), McTiernan, Reid, Dale; Maguire, Hopson (Lazzari 86). Subs not used: Macdonald, Murray.
Referee: Thomas Parsons (Rochdale).
Attendance: 1,524 (71 away fans).
