Kidderminster Harriers 1 FC United of Manchester 2 - Report

It was the first time they had lost at home this season.

Highly rated Ed Williams put Harriers ahead with his 11th goal of the season before Jack Banister bagged a couple of goals to earn the visitors a well earned win.

The setback left second placed Kidderminster still five points adrift of Chorley, who have a game in hand, and lifted the visitors off the foot of the table.

Boss Neil MacFarlane made a couple of changes from the side which triumphed 2-1 at Bradford (Park Avenue) the previous Saturday.

Dan Bradley, fit again after illness, took over from striker Joe Ironside while Kennedy Digie made way for defender Ryan Johnson following his stint with Northern Ireland Under 21s. Ironside and Digie were both named among the substitutes.

Harriers got off to a great start by taking the lead in the fourth minute when Declan Weeks stroked a free kick to Williams who fired home a perfectly placed shot from the edge of the box. The England C player has now scored in his last seven league appearances.

The stunned visitors tried to make a rapid reply and a fierce shot from Michael Donohue was beaten away by goalkeeper Brandon Hall before Elliot Simoes failed to make use of the rebound.

Kidderminster responded with Ashley Chambers wasting a good opportunity by hitting the ball wide with only goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson to beat.

Battling FC United got back on level terms in the 19th minute when Simoes set up the chance for Banister to score with a deflected shot past Hall.

The game continued at a lively pace and Harriers went close to edging back in front when a well flighted 20 yard free kick over the visitors’ defensive wall by Weeks rebounded off the outside of a post.

FC United, growing in confidence, made the most of their let-off by taking the lead in the 32nd minute when Banister netted with another deflected shot, this time after the opening had been engineered by Joel Senior.

The visitors began the second half on the front foot and Banister fired just over before Chambers put a decent chance wide after Bradley had headed on a long clearance kick from Hall. Bradley then tried his luck with a long range effort, but the ball whizzed just wide.

Kidderminster continued to find it hard to break through the visitors rear-guard had a lucky escape on 72 minutes when a powerful effort from substitute Jamal Crawford smashed against the bar before scrambled off the line.

Harriers went close on a few of occasions in the closing stages when Fraser Horsfall had a header cleared off the line before Ironside had an effort go wide followed by another which was well pushed away by Allinson.

Teams

Kidderminster: Hall; O’Connor, Horsfall, Johnson; Vaughan, Daniels, Weeks (Baxendale, 54), Williams, Austin (Ironside, 66); Bradley, Chambers (Richards, 59). Subs not used: Taylor, Digie.

FC United: Allinson; Senior, O’Halloran, Lynch, Lonsdale, Thompson; Healey (Egan, 66), Brierley, Donohue, Banister (Limpishi-Bongwamba, 82); Simoes (Crawford, 70). Subs not used: Perrin, Affleck.

Referee: Thomas Parsons (Rochdale).

Attendance: 1,860 (189 away fans).