Brackley Town 1-0 Kidderminster Harriers - Report
Kidderminster Harriers faltering automatic promotion hopes were all but extinguished as they went down to fellow promotion chasing Brackley Town.
Substitute Lee Ndlovu's looping a header beyond the visiting keeper was the only goal of the game on 78 minutes.
Harriers were hoping to build on a solid performance at Spennymoor Town in midweek where they were rewarded with their first point in four games following a 0-0 draw.
Harriers Manager Russ Penn made two changes for the visit to St. James Park, the injured Cliff Moyo and Ashley Hemmings making way for Joe Foulkes and Omari Sterling against a Brackley side unbeaten in their last ten games.
It was the home side that dictated the early play, Jimmy Armson turning and driving a shot over Luke Simpson’s crossbar after three minutes.
Brackley enjoyed the majority of possession but found the visitors back line in resilient mood, however Matt Lowe missed a good chance when he headed straight at Simpson from Glenn Walker’s left wing cross when he was unmarked 20 minutes into the game.
Harriers had a let off on 33 minutes, struggling to clear the ball from the area Jordan Richards struck a low drive from just outside the box, the effort struck Armson and diverted the shot otwards the opposite corner of the goal only for the ball to strike the base of the post with the visitors clearing for a corner.
Harriers showed very little going forward until the 40th minute, Brackley’s defence failed to clear Omari Sterling’s corner and the ball fell to Devonte Redmond who pulled his half volley about a yard wide of Danny Lewis’ left hand post.
Harriers battled gamely in the second period, Amari Morgan-Smith curling and effort narrowly wide before the hour mark.
Brackley had created very little in the second half but all that changed 12 minutes from time, substitutes Twariq Yusuf and Lee Ndlovu combining to end Harriers resilience,
The visitors piled forward in search of an equaliser but Ashley Hemmings and Omari Sterling were denied by some dogged home defending to leave Harriers winless in their last five games.
Brackley Town: Lewis, Cullinane-Liburd, Dyche, Richards, Lomas, Dean, Lowe, Armson, Gordon
(Ndlovu 63), York, Walker (Yusuf 68). Subs Not Used: Prosser, Myles, Franklin.
Harriers: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Foulkes, Bajrami, Lowe, Montrose (White 83), Redmond, Austin
(Hemmings 74), Sterling, Morgan-Smith (Freemantle 67). Subs Not Used: Carrington, Martin.
