Aldershot 2 Kidderminster Harriers 1 - Report
A first half strike from Josh Stokes was enough to send Kidderminster Harriers to defeat and keep them at the bottom of the Vanarama National League Table.
Harriers Manager, Russ Penn, welcomed Oldham Athletic loanee Ben Tollitt into the team for the trip to last weekend’s FA Cup record breakers Aldershot Town. Penn also included Reiss McNally who returned to defensive duties following a return from suspension in a bid to move themselves off the foot of the Vanarama National League Table.
Aldershot Town were soon into their stride as firstly Jack Barham saw his goalbound strike hit the outstretched leg of Harrier’s keeper Christian Dibble after only six minutes, before Josh Stokes forced Dibble to a save at his near post.
The pace and movement of the home side posed problems for Harriers defence with Stokes pulling a further effort wide of the goal before Lorent Tolaj did similar with the visitors defence retreating quickly.
The inevitable was not far from coming as Theo Widdrington saw a deflected shot saved but in the ‘Shots’ very next attack they were ahead.
A long ball out of defence found Josh Stokes who held off the challenge of Christian Oxlade- Chamberlain to drill a low effort beyond Dibble into the bottom corner of the net on 24 minutes.
The Shots continued their assault on the Harriers goal Barham, Stokes and Ryan Glover all going close to adding to that Stokes strike.
After the interval Harriers regrouped and looked more dangerous with Sammy Robinson probing down the right flank, on 49 minutes Amari Morgan-Smith teed up debutant Ben Tollitt but his effort flew wide of Jordi van Stappershoef’s left hand upright.
Haji Mnoga somehow deflected a right wing crossover his own cross bar before Caleb Richards lashed a rising drive over the home bar from a freekick on the hour.
Richards found himself in the box again moments later but his back heel from Robinson’s cross saw the ball roll wide of the goal again.
The home keeper blocked a fierce drive from Tollitt, but he was powerless on 70 minutes when Krystian Pearce brought the ball back onto his right foot only to scoop the effort over the bar from close range.
Man of the match Ollie Harfield got back to deflect an Amari Morgan-Smith effort wide of the goal for a corner and with that Harriers were unable to get the equalizing goal.
Aldershot: van Stappershoef, Mnoga, Harfield, Harries, Widdrington (Tetek 86), Frost, Tolaj (Thomas 74), Stokes, Glover, Jones, Barham. Subs Not Used: Rowe, Mullins, Willard.
Harriers: Dibble, Richards (McLean 75), Pearce, Penny, Robinson, Maguire (Brown 54), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hobson, McNally, Tollitt, Morgan-Smith (Lambert 85). Subs Not Used: McDonagh, Preston.
