Bradford Park Avenue 0 Kidderminster 1 - Report
Zak Brown scored his first National League North goal for Kidderminster Harriers when they bounced back from a disappointing midweek defeat against Curzon Ashton with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Bradford (Park Avenue) at the Horsfall Stadium.
The midfielder, a summer signing from Alvechurch, pinched the points for Harriers with a winner four minutes into stoppage time.
The narrow victory was a timely tonic for boss Russ Penn’s men who produced a below-par performance against Curzon the previous Tuesday when they lost 2-1 at Aggborough – a grim defeat which followed an opening day win at Blyth Spartans and a home draw with Leamington.
Sixth-in-the-table Harriers made one change from the side beaten by Curzon with striker Ethan Freemantle being called into the starting line-up after coming off the bench to notch a consolation second half goal against the Nash.
He took over from Tom Owen-Evans who was ruled out through injury.
They were also still without the services of injured defender Alex Penney and front-runner Amari Morgan-Smith, who is back in training and on course to come off the casualty list soon.
After a scrappy opening spell by both sides, Harriers began to earn a decent amount of possession but found it difficult to create a clear-cut way through the hosts’ rear-guard.
It was not until the 18th minute that the visitors managed to get in a shot on goal, but Nathan Lowe’s 20 yard effort dipped just over bar.
A minute later Harriers were forced into making a substitution when winger Yousif Ceesay suffered a knock and was replaced by Kaziah Martin.
They gained the first corner of the game on the half hour mark, but it came to nothing as both sides struggled to get any fluency into their play.
Bradford rarely looked threatening up front during an undistinguished first half with visiting goalkeeper Tom Palmer never being put under any major pressure.
Palmer was called into action in the opening minutes of the second period when he saved low down to keep out a strong shot from Andre Brook.
Martin and Brown combined well to enable Harriers to force the first corner of the second half shortly after the hour mark, but it proved unproductive.
Luca Havern nodded over for the Avenue before hero Brown headed home a last-gasp winner for Harriers following a cross from substitute Gabby Rogers.
Kidderminster: Palmer; Foulkes, Pearce, Knight-Percival, Richards; Lowe, Byrne; Hemmings (Rogers, 75), Brown, Ceesay (Martin, 19); Freemantle. Subs not used: Leak. Margetson, Lissimore.
Referee: John Mulligan.
Attendance: 542
