Kidderminster Harriers 0 Chorley 4 - Report and pictures

The disappointing setback sent fading Harriers crashing to their third damaging defeat in a row at Aggborough.

They are now four points behind leaders Bradford (Park Avenue).

MacFarlane made a couple of changes from the side which drew 1-1 at struggling Nuneaton Borough the previous Saturday with recent signing Russ Penn being drafted into midfield in a switch from a 3-5-2 formation to a 4-3-3 line-up.

The 33 year old was back at Aggborough for the first time in a Kidderminster shirt following his return to the club for a second spell after a free transfer from York City.

Declan Weeks, who missed the Nuneaton trip due to illness, was also recalled to midfield.

Penn and Weeks’ inclusion in the starting line-up meant Ryan Johnson and James Baxendale dropped to the substitutes’ bench.

Weeks was soon making his presence felt and was not far off target in the second minute with a long range shot which dropped just over the bar.

Both sides performed at a lively pace with Chorley breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute when, despite appeals for off-side, a shot from Josh Wilson hit the luckless Jimmy O’Connor before ending up in the back of the net.

Shortly afterwards the referee had to step in after a number of players were involved in an angry bust-up following a strong challenge on Lee Vaughan.

Chorley stretched their lead in first half injury time when, following a goalline clearance from Vaughan, the ball finally found its way to Elliott Newby who netted with a shot from the edge of the box.

Harriers set about trying to reduce the deficit at the start of the second period when Weeks had a free kick fly over the bar before unmarked Ashley Chambers wasted a good opportunity by heading well wide following a cross from Vaughan.

Chorley, however, continued to be a major threat and made it 3-0 on 58 minutes when a mistake by Weeks led to Wilson knocking the ball past helpless goalkeeper Brandon Hall.

Worse was to follow for Harriers when Chorley scored again in the 66th minute, this time visiting captain Andy Teague scrambling the ball over the line in a packed goalmouth after Hall had done well to knock a Wilson effort against the post.

Stunned Kidderminster tried to respond and highly rated midfielder Ed Williams had a shot from the edge of the area well saved by goalkeeper Matt Urwin, but it was nowhere near enough to knock the visitors out of their stride.

Teams

Kidderminster: Hall; Vaughan, O’Connor (Johnson, 65), Horsfall, Taylor (Austin, 73); Daniels, Weeks (Richards, 64), Penn; Williams, Chambers, Bradley. Subs not used: Baxendale, Wagner.

Chorley: Urwin; Challoner, Meppen-Walter, Jordan, Blakeman; Cottrell, Teague, O’Keefe (Glynn, 84), E. Newby (Whitham, 71); Carver, Wilson (Almond, 74). Subs not used: A. Newby, Anson.

Referee: Samuel Barrott (West Riding).

Attendance: 2,090 (117 away fans).