Kidder gain morale-boosting win, while Darlo earn promotion

Fourth-in-the-table Harriers signed off their regular season with a second-half winner from Keziah Martin. They now face a tough play-off quarter-final against seventh-placed Boston United at Aggborough on Thursday (7.45pm).

Their win over the Quakers was achieved despite boss Russ Penn leaving out a couple of key players from the strong starting line-up in readiness for the club’s eagerly awaited play-off adventure.

The victory also enabled Penn’s men to complete the ‘double’ against Darlington, who lost 1-0 at home to Penn’s men in mid-January.

Harriers forced the first corner of the match after just six minutes and went close to scoring when Ashley Hemmings’ kick found Geraldo Bajrami at the far post, but his header went narrowly wide.

Shortly afterwards, a mistake by Nathan Lowe presented the opportunity for Hemmings to run in on goal, but his powerful shot flew high and wide.

Hemmings was soon the centre of attention again when he unleashed a fierce drive which was well blocked in front of goal by George Smith before Martin’s follow-up shot whizzed just over the bar.

The visitors were rarely in the picture as an attacking force and it was not until the 34rd minute that they had the chance of a shot at goal, but Jack Lambert’s long range effort went harmlessly wide.

Minutes later Ethan Freemantle forced a corner, but Hemmings’ kick was successfully cleared out of the danger zone by Kevin Dos Santos before the first half drew to a close with Sam Austin firing just over. Omari Sterling came on for captain Austin at the start of the second half, which was only a minute old before Harriers gained a corner which proved unproductive.

Kidderminster finally made the breakthrough on 53 minutes when Freemantle broke away down the left flank before crossing into the area where failed efforts on goal by Hemmings and Bajrami eventually led to Martin firing in a shot which came off the post before being deflected into the net by goalkeeper Tommy Taylor.

It was grateful Harriers’ 50th home league goal of the season.

Darlington went close in the 67th minute when a free-kick by Lowe curled narrowly over the bar.

Minutes later, he tried a long-range shot which was safely gathered by well-positioned goalkeeper Luke Simpson.

The midfielder then went close with another free kick, but it was all too little too late to stop Harriers from collecting maximum points.

n Darlaston Town boss Dean Gill said his side were always going to ‘Go for it’ after a dramatic 96th-minute strike from substitute Kieron Miller secured their place in the Midland Premier with a 2-1 win over Stapenhill.

The home side always looked the more likely to win the game and Jake Pearson gave them the lead in the 68th minute but when a George Teeney close-range effort gave Stapenhill the equaliser four minutes from time it looked like the game might go to extra-time. Gill said: “One or two people probably thought we would settle for extra time at 1-1 but with me it wasn’t going to happen and I was delighted for Kieron – he is someone we have worked with to mould a player out of him and his strike today was worthy of winning any game.”