Gateshead 0 Kidderminster Harriers 0 - Report
Kidderminster Harriers made two changes from the side that won 1-0 at Farsley Celtic in midweek, Ashley Hemmings and Ryan Johnson returning after knocks to replace Ethan Freemantle and Correy Davidson who dropped to the bench.
Gateshead, unbeaten in eight games and making a surge towards the end of season play-offs, started brightly, Greg Olley testing the reflexes of keeper Will Mannion who parried away a low cross-shot.
The home side pressed forward with pace, Ruairi Keating denied by the last ditch challenge from Keith Lowe before Greg Olley spurned a great opportunity turning Scott Barrow’s cross into the side netting from close range.
Ashley Hemmings warmed the hands of home custodian Brad James on 17 minutes before Sam Austin saw his angled drive held by the home keeper.
Will Mannion kept Harriers in the hunt with an excellent double save on 31 minutes firstly parrying away Jordan Preston’s low shot and recovering to superbly turn away Keating’s follow up effort.
Harriers Cliff Moyo snatched at an effort to send it wide of the right hand post following good work from Sam Austin with nine minutes to the interval.
The game became a bit tetchy three yellow cards for the home side for challenges on Alex Prosser as the expectant storm arrived just before the break.
Harriers controlled proceedings in a wind assisted second half, shots peppered in to the Gateshead goal but Bradley James was equal to the efforts.
Alex Shenton, Ed Williams and Ashley Hemmings all came close to opening the scoring but the longer the game went the more likely the scoreline was to be blank.
In the dying stages the home side had a great opportunity but O’Donnell missed his kick with the goal at his mercy.
Gateshead: James, Nicholson, Forbes(Tear 15), Agnew, Cooper, Williamson, Preston, Deverdics, Keating, Olley, Barrow (32 O’Donnell). Subs Not Used : Curry, Guthrie, Oliver
Kidderminster Harriers: Mannion , Austin (Davidson 90), Moyo, Williams R, Lowe, Johnson, Butterfield, Prosser, Hemmings, Chambers (Samuels 82), Shenton Williams E 61). Subs Not Used: Freemantle, Palmer,.
