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| REDDIDTCH UNITED 1 HARRIERS FANS TEAM 2 Friday 28th January 2011 @ Valley Stadium |
Kidderminster Harriers fans team had the luxury of fielding 2 different sides as they travelled to Redditch for unique fans game under floodlights at the Valley Stadium. With 22 players available, including First Team Physio Gavin Crowe, the game got under way despite freezing temperatures and a difficult playing surface.
Both sides were evenly matched in the early stages however the Harriers took the lead through good finish by Sean Merrywether. The visitor started to edge in front and doubled their lead on half an hour after some good link up play between Dave Greaves and Alex Withers leading to a 25 yard screamer from Withers finding the top corner of the Redditch goal. Redditch almost got back in the game straight away but for a fine save by Dave Ackers in the Harriers goal. The home side did pull 1 goal back just before the break when the Centre Forward found space in the box to see his shot squirm under the Harriers Keeper to make it 2-1 going into the break.
With 11 changes in the second half all of the momentum from the first period was lost as both sides failed to get a firm grip on the game. As the temperature dropped and the pitch became more frozen by the minute the second 45 became a scrappy affair with little football being played. The Harriers front 2 of Pountney and Lewis had little service to feed off and the visitor’s only threat to goal came from long range efforts. Redditch pushed to find an equaliser but Harriers stood firm to record a 2-1 victory over the newly formed Redditch United Fans Team.
A huge thanks goes out to the hosts for inviting the Harriers Fans team to a rare outing in mid-week floodlit game. I’m sure both teams will meet again in the very near future.
Man of the Match - Sean Merryweather
Scorers - Sean Merryweather and Alex Withers
Teams
1st Half - Dave Ackerley, Dave Williams, Gavin Crowe, Ian Danby, Scott Mason, Sean Merryweather, Dave Greaves, Alex Withers, Nathan Fox, Tom Hudson and Morgan Nock.
2nd Half - Brett Caufield, Ollie Sewell, Ash Jarvis, Andy Morgan, Andy Powell, Mitchell Pearce, Dave Pountney, Pete Lewis, John Wenham, Mark Young and Mark Connolly.
| HAYES & YEADING 4 HARRIERS FANS TEAM 5 Saturday 29th January 2011 |
Following on from the previous night’s action at the Valley Stadium, The Harriers fans team were straight back into action in the form of an away day at another newly formed Fans Team, Hayes and Yeading. Just 12 hearty souls made up the congregation from Worcestershire but once again the ‘Brighton Boys’ made the journey from the south coast to make up what looked an understrength line up.
The game started, this time in much better conditions than the previous night and it didn’t take long for the Harriers to draw first blood when the impressive Merrywether put Kiddy 1 up. A string of questionable refereeing decisions started when a free-kick was given 20 yards out when it looked like the defender perfectly timed his challenge but the Hayes Player made no mistake with a neatly struck shot past the Harries shot-stopper. Luckily for the Harriers, their heads didn’t drop and they soon got back into the game as the make-shift front two of Sean Merrywether and Ash Jarvis troubled the home defence from the outset. 2 more quick-fire goals, virtue of a solo effort from Merrywether and a neat 20 Yard volley from young Jarvis made the score 3-1.
Dave ‘Freebie’ Williams also got on the score sheet when he bundled the ball over the line following a goal line scramble, however some questionable defending lead to Hayes pulling a goal back for the hosts to bring the scores back to 4-2. It looked like the half would end there but Man of the Match Sean Merrywether completed his hat-trick just before the whistle to give the Harriers some breathing space with a score line of 5-2.
If ever there was a clichéd ‘Game of two halves’ it was certainly evident here. Whether it was tired legs, lack of discipline or simply the Hayes team finding their rhythm, either way Hayes were by far the better team in the second half. Harriers never looked comfortable even with a 3 goal advantage and it was Hayes who looked the most likely side to threaten the score sheet.
It didn’t take long for the domination to count as two goals in quick succession from the home team lead to an intriguing final half an hour. Credit must be given to the home side, given that this is the first time they had played together their spirit was never in doubt and in all fairness probably deserved at least a draw but somehow a ragged looking Harries side limped over the line to complete a far from convincing 5-4 victory.
Both teams shared a drink at the Hayes and Yeading social club after the game where the ever more controversial match rating system was again called in to question (*no hidden agenda from the match reporter). What wasn’t in doubt was Match winner and man of the match Sean Merrywether contribution, probably the difference between the two sides.
Man of the Match - Sean Merryweather
Scorers - Sean Merryweather 3, Dave Williams and Ash Jarvis
Team and Ratings
Mark Young, Sean Merryweather (8), Richard Millington (5), Ash Jarvis (6), Craig Martin (6), Dave Williams (6), Ian Danby (7), Simon Jarrasinski (5),
Mike Peplow (7), Tom Hudson (6), Adam Matthews (6), Dave Ackerley (6), Tim Price (6), Morgan Nock (5) and Mark Connolly (5)
Match footage courtesy of the Hayes supporters team
General carnage
Ackers watches the ball sail into the net
