Spennymoor 1-2 Kidderminster - Report

First half goals from Amari Morgan-Smith and a first goal for Reiss McNally proved enough to take the points from a spirited Spennymoor team.

Harriers manager Russ Penn was forced into three changes for the visit to in form Spennymoor Town, defenders Kyle Morrison and Joe Foulkes coming in for the injured pair of Alex Penny and Nat Knight-Percival. Jack Bearne dropped to the bench with Joe McGlynn partnering Amari Morgan-Smith in attack.

Kai Lissimore saw an early effort deflected wide for the game’s first corner, keeper Langley punching Shane Byrne’s cross clear, under pressure from the visitors strike force.

Amari Morgan-Smith crashed home the game’s opening goal on nine minutes, a vicious strike from distance saw the ball swerve away from Langley into the top right hand corner of the net to give the visitors a deserved lead.

Paul Blackett saw an opportunity from Langley’s long clearance and delivered a precise finish just five minutes later, seeing Tom Palmer off his line, the signing from Gateshead netting his fifth goal for the club with a neat lob to bring the home side level.

Harriers forced a number of corners and on 37 minutes a howler from keeper Dan Langley gave Harriers the lead for the second time in the game, Shane Byrne’s right wing corner appeared to be gathered by the tall keeper but he dropped it over the line under pressure from Reiss McNally, .

Moments later Langley produced a flying save to keep out a Morgan-Smith effort in Harriers next attack as the visitors sensed another goal before the break.

The ’Moors’ lost their leading scorer Glen Taylor to a first half facial injury, Lebrun Mbeka his replacement, as the second half struggled to gain any fluency from either side.

Ashley Hemmings looked to be influential down Harriers left flank but Tait and Curtis remained resolute in the centre of the home defence.

Morgan-Smith saw his effort saved as Harriers looked to extend their lead before Spennymoor staged a late assault on the visitor’s goal.

Corey McKeown’s drive was somehow diverted off the goalline by Kristian Pearce with fifteen minutes remaining and Mark Anderson blazed wildly over as the home side pressed.

Paul Tait saw his goalbound header tipped over by Tom Palmer as Harriers nervously held on, before the visitors keeper kept his side ahead with another low save to ensure Harriers took the three points on offer.

Spennymoor: Langley, Lufudu, Tait, Curtis, Ross, Kendall, Faulkner (Anderson 69), McKeown (Shanks 78), Blackett, Taylor (Mbeka 46), Ramshaw. Subs Not Used: Flatters, Wombwell.

Harriers: Palmer, Foulkes, Morrison, McNally, Pearce, Hemmings, Lissimore, Byrne, McGlynn (Freemantle 78), Morgan-Smith, Owen-Evans (Leak 90+5). Subs Not Used: Bearne, Brown, Dibble.