Kidderminster Harriers 1 Southend 2 - Report

The Shrimpers clinched victory with goals from Oli Coker and Nathan Ralph while Ashley Hemmings hit the target for Harriers.

Aggborough boss Russ Penn’s men have notched only two home league wins this season and narrowly missed out on their chance to avenge a 2-1 defeat at Southend in early September.

Penn made couple of changes from the side which lost 1-0 at Maidenhead United the previous Saturday with newcomer Gold Omotayo featuring in the starting line-up for the first time since his arrival for an undisclosed fee from AFC Fylde.

The 29 year old’s first two appearances were as a substitute during the second half of Harriers’ matches against Stourbridge and Maidenhead.

Captain Shane Byrne also came into the starting line-up for the first time since recovering from a long term injury.

Joe Leesley and Nat Knight-Percival, however, are expected to stay on the Aggborough casualty list for at least another six weeks.

The Shrimpers, visiting Kidderminster for the first time since the club’s met in the Football League in 2005, had an early anxious moment when Ryan McLean broke away and sent over a teasing cross which reached Omotayo, who was unable make the most of a promising move.

Soon after Hemmings had a header saved by goalkeeper Collin Andeng-Ndi before the visitors forged ahead in the seventh minute when Coker squeezed home a cross from Jack Bridge.

The stunned hosts set about trying to repair the damage and McLean saw his goal bound drive well blocked by Ralph.

They were rewarded for their efforts when a Jack Lambert free kick was only partially cleared by the visiting rear-guard to give Hemmings an opportunity to fire home a stunning 27th minute volley from just inside the area.

It was the hot-shot’s ninth goal of the season and seventh in Harriers’ last five matches.

Southend, however, regained the lead three minutes into first half stoppage time when Ralph headed in at the far post following a corner by Bridge.

Aggborough goalkeeper Christian Dibble was called on to save at the feet of Brooklyn Kabongolo in the first minute of the second half which continued at a lively pace with both sides contributing to an entertaining encounter.

Byrne made his presence felt when he tried his luck with a header and a long range shot in a short space of time, but both efforts sailed over the bar.

Southend had strong penalty appeals turned down on 75 minutes when substitute Henry Sandat was brought to the ground during a collision with Dibble.

Harriers survived the let-off and were denied an equaliser when Anden-Ndi made a trio of excellent saves in the closing stages.

Kidderminster: Dibble; McNally (Richards, 46), Pearce, Preston; McLean (Morgan-Smith, 78), Byrne, Lambert, Robinson; Hobson; Hemmings (Tollitt 64), Omotayo.

Subs not used: Penny, Lissimore.

Southend: Andeng-Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Ralph, Kensdale, Bridge, Husin, Taylor, Fonguck (Sandat, 60), Velhete, Kabongolo, Coker. Subs not used: Wood, Demetriou

Referee: Dale Baines.

Attendance: 3.046 (645 away fans).