Kidderminster Harriers 2 Tamworth 0 - Report and pictures
Kidderminster Harriers secured a National League North play-off place after a hard fought 2-0 win over relegation-haunted Tamworth at Aggborough.
Joe Ironside notched his 22nd goal of the season shortly after the hour mark before Elton Ngwatala marked his 100th appearance for the club by adding a second three minutes later.
Their quick-fire goals enabled fourth-placed Harriers to clinch their fourth victory on the trot.
Kidderminster, who lost 2-1 at Tamworth in September, made two changes from the side which won 3-1 at home against promotion rivals Stockport County earlier in the week.
James Pearson (knee) and Dan Bradley (hamstring) were both on the casualty list and replaced by defender Kennedy Digie and forward Manny Sonupe. Youngster Harry Stratford was named among the substitutes.
Also missing were full-backs Joel Taylor (illness) and Lee Vaughan who was serving the third of a three-match ban for his sending off in the recent 3-2 defeat at Boston United.
The visitors made a promising start and were stopped from taking an early lead when home goalkeeper Brandon Hall pulled off a fine one handed save to keep out a low side-footed shot from former Aggborough campaigner Darryl Knights.
After a disjointed opening period, Harriers finally gave the Lambs cause for concern in the 23rd minutes when Ngwalata, set up the chance for Declan Weeks to fire in a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was pushed over for an unproductive corner by goalkeeper Jack Stevens.
A few minutes later Stevens managed to deflect away a Sonupe effort before Joe Ironside headed the rebound wide.
Tamworth, however, continued to make life difficult for Harriers who were indebted to an excellent save by alert Hall who dived full length to push over a solid header from another ex-Kidderminster player Luke Jones.
Shortly before the interval Sam Austin tried his luck with a couple of shots from distance, but the ball flew high and wide on both occasions.
Harriers made a more urgent start to the second period and within a couple of minutes Stevens was called on to stop a fierce close range drive from Jimmy O’Connor.
Tamworth went close with a glancing header from Aman Verma, before battling Harriers finally broke the deadlock when Sonupe sent over a cross which enabled Ironside to steer in his effort at the near post in the 62nd minute.
Three minutes later it was 2-0 when a drive from Weeks was blocked before Ngwatala swept the loose ball into the net for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Stunned Tamworth almost got back into the game when substitute Akwasi Asanti was thwarted by a fine save by Hall.
Teams
Kidderminster: Hall; Digie, O’Connor, Horsfall, Austin; McQuilkin, Croasdale, Weeks; Ngwatala (Truslove, 85), Ironside (Waring, 79), Sonupe (Brown, 75). Subs not used: N. Vaughan, Stratford.
Tamworth: Stevens; Burns, Jones, Lane (Asante, 68), Sharpe; Donohue, Kettle, Verma, Knights (Davies, 84); Angus, Taylor. Subs not used: Upton, Shaw, Powell.
Referee: Dean Watson (Lancs).
Attendance: 1,821 (105 away fans).
