Kidderminster 0 Dorking 0 - Report
Kidderminster Harriers stuttered in their struggle to scramble out of the National League drop zone by being held to a goalless draw with lowly Dorking Wanderers at Aggborough.
The frustrating stalemate ended second-from-bottom Harriers’ run of four league triumphs on the trot since new boss Phil Brown took over from Russ Penn.
The deadlock, watched by the third 3,000-plus crowd in a row at Aggborough, also denied them the chance to complete their first league double of the season following a 1-0 win at Dorking in early October.
Harriers made several changes from the side which lost 1-0 at lower ranked Peterborough Sports in the fifth round of the FA Trophy the previous Saturday.
Christian Dibble, Amari Morgan-Smith, Reiss McNally, Jack Lambert, Shane Byrne and Ashley Hemmings were all recalled to the starting line-up while newcomer Regan Griffiths, a 23 year old former Crewe Alexandra midfielder, was included on the substitutes’ bench.
He came on for Zak Brown shortly after the hour mark
Dorking’s first ever visit to Aggborough began with Harriers forcing two corners inside the opening couple of minutes.
Both proved fruitless, although the second kick caused problems for the visitors in the penalty area, but the ball was finally cleared up-field.
Wanderers steadily began to get over the early scares, but were fortunate on 15 minutes when the hosts wasted a good chance after Hemmings broke away on the right flank and saw his excellent cross reach Sam Bellis, who glanced a header wide while well positioned.
Harriers continued to produce some promising attacks with one of them ending in a long range pile-driver from Morgan-Smith flying harmlessly over the bar.
Not long afterwards Hemmings had a strong shot pushed well away by goalkeeper Harrison Male following a short corner.
The hard fought first half drew to a close with Aggborough keeper Dibble not having been severely tested.
Harriers began the second period on the front foot and gained a corner in the first minute, but it came to nothing.
Wanderers responded with a fleeting spell of pressure that caused some concern to the Aggborough defenders who managed to snuff out the threats.
Shortly afterwards the visitors forced a corner which was confidently punched away by under pressure Dibble, who was then called on to make a flying save to stop Josh Taylor from scoring with a fierce drive.
Both sides, however, battled hard to make a breakthrough, but defences remained on top.
Kidderminster: Dibble; McNally, Pearce, Penny; Brown (Griffiths, 66), Byrne, Richards; Lambert (Hesketh, 73), Hemmings; Bellis (Omotayo, 57), Morgan-Smith. Subs not used: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Harper-Bailey.
Dorking: Male, B-J Taylor, Pybus, Craig, McManus (Cook, 46), Prior, Carter, J. Taylor (Moore, 88), Hollis, Blair, Francomb. Subs not used: Rutherford, Kennedy, Gallagher.
Referee: Ben Wyatt.
Attendance: 3,745 (168 away fans).
